Anyone know what this mandolin is?

[christiandransfield]

Hey everyone,

Does anyone know who might have made this mandolin? If you need any more pics, let me know!

https://ibb.co/dGri6U

https://ibb.co/ckokLp

[MikeEdgerton]

It's most likely European and you may never be able to totally confirm the builder.

[allenhopkins]

Can't access pics using your URL; so I'll say Mike E's probably right (he usually is).

[colorado_al]

It looks to me like a Soviet era/East German mandolin.

[NickR]

The back of your mandolin reminded me strongly of Sicilian made flat top guitars where the back is cut to go over the heel. I found this Catania, Sicily made example that conforms to many aspects of your mandolin.

http://www.sandroliva.com/rapimando.html

Then there is this headstock shot- Carmelo Catania. It has a zero fret and I believe the tuners on your mandolin suggest an earlier date for its manufacture.

http://vintagesoulguitars.com/gallery/mandoheadstock/

[tonydxn]

Definitely looks European. Tuners look German, but construction does not. That head shape is often found on German mandolins, but the volute at the neck/head area would be most unusual, as would the one-piece (probably laminated) back. It also looks as if it has a canted top, which you often find on Italian flatbacks, but hardly ever on German ones.

A confused mixture of German and Italian characteristics like this sometimes points to French origins, but I also agree with colorado_al that it looks like Eastern Europe communist-era work (especially if it has no maker's label).

Unlikely you will ever be able to identify the actual maker.

[NickR]

Here is an Ermelina Silvestri from the 1950s. Catania mandolins usually have plenty of flourishes in terms of decoration. The butterfly was common on Catania made instruments. These photos are tiny. https://www.invaluable.com/auction-l...5-c-ac5e33d1a4

If you search for "silvestri mandolin photos" you should see the bigger front shot that got me to this link. It is worth mentioning that German made tuners were used by makers all across Europe and my Ermelinda Silvestri Hawaiian guitar from about 1930 has them. Catania guitars have slightly arched backs and the wood is nearly always solid but I cannot be sure on this mandolin which seems to be a fairly restrained looking instrument.

[MikeEdgerton]

I think that's a huge stretch but hey, everyone has an opinion. If that thing isn't labeled I go back to my original statement.

[NickR]

I'm not suggesting it is a Silvestri mandolin- only that is is probably from one of the Catania workshops and the Silvestri mandolins follow the same general principles of design from that region. It is almost impossible to verify the maker unless another one with a label turns up which is Mike Edgerton's contention- one I fully support. It just helps to have a generic type which may help uncover the maker but I think that is going to be more than elusive!

[Jim Garber]

Much more convenient to have the photos right here: