Re: Introducing Michele Vinaccia
There seems to have been at least a couple other Marateas claiming to have studied with the famous "Allievo" di Vinaccia: Domenico and Raffaele.
Perhaps there was a Figli Maratea, too. Or maybe he's referring to his sons on the label....
Michele M apparently worked with the DeMeglio system of building as well.
The wide stylistic and quality range of his instruments is the type of thing that has sometimes made us wonder around here as to whether someone was actually the maker of the instruments or perhaps just the labeler and seller despite whatever claims might be made on a label.
Or perhaps Maratea did some of both. There certainly are some very nice mandolins under his many different style labels he used over the years.
Dubious marketing ploys, though, didn't begin with the advent of Ebay.
Lastly, a few modest Vinaccias with a least a superficial resemblance to the modest Maratea. Two from the late 1890s with the broken pediment headstock w finial and one from 1909 with the more familiar "open book" headstock.
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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