Re: Fratelli Tassinari (Napoli) -Help with Info and Value
In addition to the value judgements from folks you've received, here's maybe some context (very abridged)
There was a huge mandolin boom in Italy beginning in mid 1880s with much of the production being aimed at export markets, particularly the UK, and to a lesser degree France and Germany. (Not a lot of imports to the US....US makers jumped in on the craze and cranked out huge numbers of bowl back mandolins for the equally huge US market at the time.)
During this period a lot of the prestige name Italian mandolin makers got their starts: Vinaccia, Calace, Embergher, Ceccherini, DeMeglio etc. etc. in Naples and in Rome. There was a second big front of mandolin making in Catania, Sicily that cranked out a lot of mandolins, particularly for the export market. A lot of mandolins out of Sicily apparently were "branded" for sale with Neapolitan pedigrees. That said there was certainly a lot of production in Naples "for the trade" as their was in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Whether the Tassinari Bros. where actually involved in the construction of this mandolin, or were simply the contractors and purveyors is an open question.
We have seen many, many Italian mandolins here that were simply relabeled products from other makers, Sicilian and otherwise. The practice was widespread in the US as well. I'm no expert, but many of the verifiable makers as opposed to labelers would include an address, perhaps some signatures, etc. Not that those things weren't faked as well.
The Tassinari mandolin looks extremely generic Vinaccian-style bowl from around 1900 + / -. It could have been made by anyone, in reality. Maybe even by i Fratelli. Hopefully some other corroborating info will turn up.
I have owned a wide range of these MOR Italian bowls from obscure branders. Some of them can be very nice players with the shimmering sound that our friend, Martin Jonas, so wonderfully described Italian mandolins. The intonation can be muy sketchioso though, so it is a bit of a crap shoot.
I realize that is kind of a rambling summary, but I hope it provides context.
This one looks like it has some serious issues. Not likely to fetch much in sale. Victor, is being generous...it is in his nature. ;-)
Sentimental value hopefully exceeds monetary value.
What can you tell us about the history of the mandolin?
Who did you inherit it from?Do you know where they got the mandolin?
If you are "mandolinman" have you tried playing this one? Is it playable?
Thanks for posting,
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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