1990's Cole (Boston) Bowl Back Mandolin

[8ch(pl)]

I saw this instrument on the weekend in a second hand store. Usually damage to these old Bowl Backs is separation of the staves in the Back. These ones were almost perfect, and were Rosewood.

The top was totally destroyed, it had large cracks at the bend that ran from the edge of the top in to where the ends of the bridge were, right across the top's grain, above the brace.then they turned 90 degrees and ran along the grain to the soundhole.

If someone had a mandolin with a good top and deteriorated staves, they could maybe repair it by putting that top on this Cole.

There was a small plate on the back of the headstock that said Cole, I think it was Wm Cole. The instrument was identical to Fairbanks mandolins of the era.

It was a nice mid-level instrument, pretty much a wall hanger now.

[Jim Garber]

I assume you meant to type 1890's Cole. I suppose someone could do a top transplant from another mandolin but there is no guarantee, even if it was the same brand that it would fit correctly. You could replace with a new top but that is a fair amount of work for a mandolin that would not be worth it. Sounds like one to walk away from. There are plenty of old bowlbacks that are in decent shape.

[8ch(pl)]

I wasn't going to purchase it, I was suprised at how different the damage was from what I have seen on bowlbacks in the past. It had almost identical cracks on both sides. Now that I have considered it a bit, I am wondering if the instrument has been dropped hard, directly on the bridge, since the cracks are adjacent to the bridge location. It is really damaged and the wood in the cracks going across the grain looked fresh. The 2 cracked areas are almost symetrical in the damage location.