I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
I wonder if that is the soprano member of the bandurria family. It looks like it might be smaller. How does it compare to a standard 12 string one? Also would that have been strung with gut strings?
Rare Antique 19th Century Mandolin Circa 1890
Beautiful very rare Good quality instrument.
Great pear shape lovley wood work,
rare with 10 strings
Size: Full length 55 cm, Body size: 28 cm long,
26.5 cm wide.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
The bandurria had only 5 courses, and was strung in gut before it got a 6th course. These older ones are nowadays generally called the baroque bandurria. 1890 seems very late for a 5 course one though as far as I'm aware. It doesn't give a scale length, but using an image editor to estimate it after scaling to the measurements shown for the width and length I end up with a scale length of 26-28cm, which is normal for a bandurria. Having said that, modern bandurrias do tend to have wider bodies than the baroque bandurria.
Here are some pictures of a reconstruction of a baroque bandurria for comparison:
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
When are your dates for baroque bandurrias? Would they have been stung with gut or metal?
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
i noticed this one as well. very cute little instrument, although i can't see myself playing it.
During the baroque period (1600–1730), and they were strung with gut. In fact I've just found on Wikipedia this original 6 course gut-strung bandurria from the 18th century:
So yeah, 1890 seems very late for 5 courses. To me, the fact it has an tailpiece suggests the strings go from there through the fixed bridge, like a modern bandurria, and suggests steel strings. Assuming that tailpiece is even original! It also doesn't have the 'shoulders' of the baroque bandurria shape. So this instrument seems an interesting anomaly.
I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
i wonder if the back and sides are brazillian rosewood??? might be worth salvaging for a mandolin.
the one pictured above is a beauty
The 1890s in Europe seems to have been a time for retro or looking back to older times musically. I have a single strung 6 string Italian mandolino made in Firenze in that decade.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Bookmarks