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Thread: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

  1. #1

    Default Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Hello Everyone, I'm contacting you from France.

    I recently acquired a concert mandolin made by Carlo Bruno, a luthier from Torino. The instrument seems to be from the beginning of the 20th century and is high made quality.

    Unfortunately I have found very few details about this mandolin maker.

    Have you ever heard of this luthier?

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  3. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Hi Moby75: I have only seen two until now when I see the third one you own. I acquired mine about 17 years ago with a wonderful sculpted wooden case. The full name of the maker is Carlo Colombo Bruno. Here is the listing in my Henley violin book.:
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    He made mandolins in the Roman style with radiused (arched) fretboard and triangular shaped neck. I have attached photos of mine here. The label in mine is very different from the one other whose photos I have seen.

    Here is some additional information a friend of mine sent me on the maker:

    Carlo Colombo Bruno was born in Caltanissetta in 1872 and died in Turin in 1964.
    He moved to Turin when he was very young (likely with his parents), and it was in this town that he started a workshop, selling and making musical instruments (also for commercial export!).
    After 1934 he dedicated himself exclusively to the art of musical instrument making, obtaining very good results as is shown by prizes and medals he won at musical instrument exhibitions in Turin, Paris and Marseilles.

    Besides a large output of bowed instruments, he also made guitars and mandolins. Carlo Colombo Bruno stamped the essential parts of his instruments with his initials, while on the label often there is found a written addition: ‘it is prayed not to remove this label'.
    Please post more photos. You actually posted 4 photos twice each.
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  5. #3
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    And here is the only other CC Bruno mandolin that I have photos of. I do not own this one. I do have photos of 4 Bruno violins in my files. I would love to own one of those.
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    I have one other CBBruno in my files to add to the discussion, this one in the league with Moby75s.
    Quite a wonderful looking mandolin.

    Mick
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  9. #5

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Thank you very much for this informations, its very interesting and your mandolin is beautiful.

    When I checked for more informations about him I noticed that he made some violin and guitars.

    I don't know why the label on my mandolin is really different from the others you showed, it must probably be due to the period and maybe the fact that it was sold in France.

  10. #6

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    His mandolins are of very high quality.

    I am very surprised that he is not better known.

    I have seen that some of the violins he has made cost between $15,000 and $25,000. Which is quite a lot in comparison to the price of his mandolins.

  11. #7

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    This mandolin is very great Mick, I'm very impressed by the details.

    Thanks for your help.

  12. #8

    Default Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy

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    Here you have some additional pictures.

    Let me know what you think about this pics.

    As it was sold in France, the label is translated in French.

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  14. #9

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy

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    To add to our research, here are some pictures of a guitar made by Carlo Bruno that is currently for sale in France.

    It is written on the label :

    CARLO BRVNO (in a circle: C cross B)
    Fabbricante d'istrumenti musicali a corda
    Fece anno 1900 in TORINO

  15. #10
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Curiously, none of the mandolins here have any dates and the labels all seem different. Mick, do you have additional photos of the one in your files? I wonder if the violins have dates? He is listed in my Jalovec violin book so I will scan those pages.
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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Mick, do you have additional photos of the one in your files?....
    Unfortunately not, Jim. I'd enjoy seeing some detail shots of the headstock, neck joints, scratchplate etc. Delightful mandolins.

    I do have one other example in my files. More understated.
    I like the tailpiece cover and headstock profiles a lot.

    Ignore my file names...I think I added the "Roma" just based on the style, before I came across examples with the Torino address.

    Mick
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  18. #12
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    My tailpiece is not original.

    Here is the listing in Jalovec violin book:

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Here are a few additional photos I took this morning. The little star inlay at the fifth fret fell out some time ago and I think I need to have someone check the braces etc. I never have played it but the interest here makes me want to have it restored. I love the sculpted wooden case and that has a few cracks in it and obviously needs a handle. Maybe time to work on that as well. I love the bone tuning buttons. I had similar ones on my ex-DeMeglio.
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  21. #14

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Your mandolin is in a very good condition.

    I encourage you to restore it, it is a quality instrument that merit to be restored and to be played again.

    The condition is superb, restoring this mandolin will be very simple and quick in my opinion.

    Also, given the low number of Carlo Bruno mandolins, restoring your mandolin will help to conserve his build mandolins.

  22. #15
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Biggest problem here in the US is finding a luthier qualified and willing to do the work. These are specialized mandolins unlike standard carved style ones. My Emberghers were restored in the UK and Belgium.
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  23. #16

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Just started today on this week’s mystery bowlback, neck reset plus, and glad it’s neither valuable nor someone else’s! These things are not designed for taking apart without violence.

  24. #17

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    I understand that.

    I have heard about a very good luthier for the restauration of mandolin in Italy, his name is Fabio Bonardi from Brescia.

    He has been recommended to me by Mr. Lippi.

    He seems to be very professional, I’m probably going to send him my embergher for restauration.

    Here is his website :

    http://www.falpius.com/lang1/index.html

  25. #18
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Quote Originally Posted by Moby75 View Post
    He seems to be very professional, I’m probably going to send him my embergher for restauration.
    Moby75: you have a Carlo Colombo Bruno *and* an Embergher? What model is your Embergher? Post pictures please.
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  27. #19

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Yes Jim, I have an embergher that I have send for restauration. It’s a modest tipo A in a very good condition.

  28. #20
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    I also have a tipo A maple back that was restored in the UK. And my rosewood 1904 No. 3 was restored in Belgium. I have a No. 1 as well that needs some work as well as a few American bowl backs that should be properly restored. If only…
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  29. #21

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    It’s very impressing, I think we like the same kind of mandolins.

    Let me know if you restore them.

  30. #22

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Which instrument is your main mandolin ? The model 3 ?

  31. #23
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    The N.3 is the best and I played that in some mandolin workshops. Nowadays I mostly play a Lyon & Healy for classical and some modern mandolins for everything else. I will see about the Bruno and getting that playable. I don’t think it needs much.
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  32. #24

    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    That’s nice.
    Lyon and Healy ? I suppose it’s American ?

    Your Bruno is in a very good condition, let me know when it will become playable again.

    Which strings are you using for your embergher ?

  33. #25
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Question About Carlo Bruno mandolin from Torino, Italy.

    Quote Originally Posted by Moby75 View Post
    That’s nice.
    Lyon and Healy ? I suppose it’s American ?

    Your Bruno is in a very good condition, let me know when it will become playable again.

    Which strings are you using for your embergher ?
    Yes, Lyon & Healy of Chicago made a short scale carved mandolin of high quality in the 1920s.

    I think I used Fisoma consort strings on the A way back when I played that. For my N. 3 the friend of mine who did the set up winds his own strings and he gave me a few sets. They are very light though. My personal other favorite sets are Dogal Calace. RW92b Dolce strings for my other bowl backs.
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