Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Mandolin origin/maker

  1. #1

    Default Mandolin origin/maker

    Hello guys, first time posting to this great forum.

    I recently sent my grandfather's mandolin to a luthier to have it completely restored and I was wondering if anyone can help out with who the maker might be or from which country or area.

    I have attached some pictures that the luthier sent me, he also found very old Italian Newspaper clippings inside the bowl so I am assuming it was made in Italy.

    Thank you for all the help.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-9bb7c81e0dd564267a12ac6c2f303d1f-V.jpg 
Views:	98 
Size:	220.6 KB 
ID:	207815   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-4c03d69912df964881dd754719c21277-V.jpg 
Views:	98 
Size:	186.0 KB 
ID:	207816   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-78937b2691e11df7fdfa19ba63ab0781-V.jpg 
Views:	109 
Size:	223.3 KB 
ID:	207817  


  2. #2
    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    North CA
    Posts
    5,013

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    Not sure about the mandolin which needs a lot of work - but that's a nice small bouzouki.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    Photos from before this stage might be more helpful; it looks quite generic now. The paper lining also might have appeared in New York, or anywhere.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    I do not think it is possible to identify this instrument further apart from it's likely Italian origin and time of manufacture possibly early 20th Century. There were tens of thousands of mandolins made in Italy each year during the golden mandolin era 1890's -1920's and many were made for the trade and unlabelled. This particular one looks very typical and like many others, so I am afraid there is not much one can do. But kudos for making an effort to make it playable again as it is certainly a great family heirloom!

  5. #5
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,736

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    I agree with my esteemed colleagues. Sometimes you can ID a maker from a singular sharp of the scratchplate however sometimes even one shop might use varying shapes.
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    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

  6. #6
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Ann Arbor/Austin
    Posts
    6,277

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    I agree with Victor that this is very likely of Italian origin.
    l
    Besides the newspapers...which as Richard suggests....could come from an Italian language newspaper in many a large city, the details of the fretboard ending at the soundhole and the bowl staves do suggest Italian to me.

    A key thing, of course, will be the condition of the top and thus the position of the neck. Very often we see in these old bowls that top sinks in just a bit around the soundhole causing the neck to rotate upwards even a tad which can make the playing action impossible.

    Reinforcing the soundhole area underneath and replacing with fretboard with a new tapered one can work wonders: rescue playability, correct any flaws in the intonation from sketchioso fret spacing.

    Fortunately these are not exhaustive repairs in competent hands.

    It looks like maybe some of that work is already under way!

    In trying to read the newspaper, it is fascinating that there is a 'dateline' Washington DC and some reference to a 'conferenza' of some kind 'del Pacifico'.

    Maybe enough clues for a detective to start tracking down when such conference may have occured?

    There was a postwar 'naval conference' in DC after WWI which Italy took part in.


    But that date might be toward the later end of when this mandolin was likely made.

    Fair play to you for getting this instrument renovated for future use.

    Please share more photos of the project as it continues.

    Mick
    Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
    ______________________

    '05 Cuisinart Toaster
    '93 Chuck Taylor lowtops
    '12 Stetson Open Road
    '06 Bialetti expresso maker
    '14 Irish Linen Ramon Puig

  7. #7

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    I wonder if it was made in the USA by an Italian workshop and Italian newspapers- possibly published for Italians in the USA (or imported) were used that we can see inside. One such shop might have been Galliano. Obviously, Italian workers would have been used by many instrument makers but they probably did not use newsprint judging by the liners we see. Here is a Galliano made in NYC and maybe, yours was the product of another workshop although it is just as likely to have been imported from Italy. The Galliano has an American tailpiece whereas there are no clues via the metal ware on your mandolin.

    https://reverb.com/uk/item/183459-vi...1920-s-natural

  8. #8

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    Thank you and everyone who has replied with your insights, I will post more pictures soon.
    Much appreciated!

  9. #9

    Default Re: Mandolin origin/maker

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-4f2b6950408d791466b25eaaf797dabe-V.jpg 
Views:	31 
Size:	231.1 KB 
ID:	207854Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-9216f134b965cc7a5c9335de3206da51-V.jpg 
Views:	30 
Size:	249.2 KB 
ID:	207855Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-ac935cf8539fc36c77c55613449ccee9-V.jpg 
Views:	29 
Size:	223.4 KB 
ID:	207856Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-871fb35d8050d86034e9c525514d9f93-V.jpg 
Views:	28 
Size:	230.4 KB 
ID:	207857Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-226e875286d829798ef18cb8b067d7f3-V.jpg 
Views:	33 
Size:	247.1 KB 
ID:	207858Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG-b0095c0adc2c1d9b9287838bdaa8d8bd-V.jpg 
Views:	34 
Size:	237.1 KB 
ID:	207859

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •