A. Galiano anyone seen this style?

[Fishykiller]

Hello helpful people! Another friend of mine has found this mandolin in her parents house. (I was recently gifted three mandolins from a different friend - the 3 old mandolins walk into a bar thread.) I have not seen this one in person, but I like the looks of it. Can anyone tell me more about it? I have requested pictures of the tuners as well, will add when I get them.

[MikeEdgerton]

It was built by Kay in Chicago. They built it for the trade and it was labeled.

[Fishykiller]

Thank you! A quick google with that extra information brought up this blogspot, which shows a fancier version.

https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...t-galiano.html

[MikeEdgerton]

They built that same basic model for decades. This search will show you many here on the Cafe.

[brunello97]

Something fishy / curious here, though, Mike. This Galiano label is all in Italian. The Galiano / Ciano heyday was in the the '00s and '10s.
This generic model dates from later than that. Newer mandolin backdated with an older style label? Oscar Schmidt burning through some inventory?
L+H and the Chicago folks are starting to seem like an open sesame compared with trying to sort out the Mid-Atlantic Rim builders.

Mick

[Jeff Mando]

......the Mid-Atlantic Rim builders.

Mick

good one!

[NickR]

It looks to be 1930s- this model was first made about 1935 at various price points and this one looks to be one of the less expensive models. Kay went over to Kluson tuners about 1940. This earlier S-V, which was the forerunner to Kay, mandolin, has that label inside:

https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...t-galiano.html

[MikeEdgerton]

The label language isn't a huge deal. People were still aiming instruments at ethnic groups well into the 50's. Keep in mind that when I arrived in New York City in the early 80's many people I met had relatives living in Little Italy that had been here for decades and didn't speak English.