Walter Taylor

[Rafaele]

Can anyone tell me more about the mandolin and banjo maker called Walter Taylor. So far I know that he was born in 1858, worked in Liverpool and was originally apprenticed to a gun maker. He used the skills learnt in the gunmakers to make quite individual banjos. But it is his mandolins that I am interested in. My husband inherited a Walter Taylor mandolin from his grandfather and I would love to find out more. (It is a bowl back mandolin)
Any information, clues or threads I could follow would be greatly appreciated 😊

[vic-victor]

Haven't heard of Walter Taylor, but it would be nice to see the photos of that mandolin. Thanks.

[NickR]

Here's one on eBay in the UK. It is interesting but has issues, I am afraid. It has some quirky aspects, for sure. The case is circa 1900. The auction is below but I have not been able to post photos for posterity. Others may have more success.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166703751...Bk9SR67c0IjZYw

[Richard500]

Clumsy process on my device, but here’s one. Of the quirks, I note the inlaid pick guard in a window of an overlaid one, the apron very different, and there’s something added at the tail. But the OP only posted once and may not check back, or be interested at this point.

[NickR]

I do not expect the OP to return- and it is a shame that no photos of the mandolin were posted as there are none online but there is a banjo and banjo mandolin posted- not even showing the whole instrument properly. As vic-victor had wished to see photos, I hope he sees this re-invigoration with that photo you have saved. I think the area around where the bowl and neck meet suggests it may not be suitable for re-stringing until a repair has been effected and that may well be a tricky business. One thing I have learned is that the latches have that small catch that goes into a sort of split pin loop on the case. My mandolin cases with these latches have lost them and it was a bit of a mystery as to how they work. On mine, an old metal paper clip now does the job!

[NickR]

Well, for better or worse, I have bought this old girl. There were no other bidders and the seller assured me that the neck joint is solid, so what can be seen at the heel may well be cosmetic. Let's hope this is the case! As for the case, I think it will clean up and it looks solid so if nothing else I may have bought a half decent cheapo case! On another matter, I wonder if that overlaid pickguard is a tone killer but as I don't play my two bowl backs- although I learned on one of them back before electricity, it's not such a concern!

[BillWilliams]

Admirable of you Nick.
If the case is in reasonable condition its a good buy - I have a similar vintage case that will probably cost me more than £35 to have the handle repaired.

I hope you will share here how it works out.

[NickR]

Bill I will certainly let you know how I get on. I bought a similar case not so long ago for very little and repaired the handle with a modern leather strap I bought off eBay. It has worked out well but it has lost the hooks you can see on the case for this mandolin. I have sent the link to a friend who is an accomplished guitar maker and instrument authority- he can replicate an 1840s Panormo- he's the world expert on that family of makers, so I hope he is not too scathing about my purchase! I got to know him when I acquired what turned out to be a historically significant guitar- he restored it and promptly made an exact copy which he sold to somebody in New York for quite a sum! I have seen some of his other guitars and it just boggles the mind how skilled some people really are!

[Richard500]

That big pickguard surrounding the port seems to appear on some good Italian mandolins - I think there must have been a fad, and also, it must have been acoustically ok. First time I saw that, also thought it was too much mass, but I was told that the sound is really coming from aft of the bridge, so inconsequential.
Good luck with it!

[NickR]

Richard, that's heartening news. Let's hope the mandolin can be brought back to life!