Antique Store Find.

[jake-mando]

I picked this up a an antique store this weekend for $49.00 It's defiantly in rough shape. Lot's of old and not very well done repairs. It's just a wall hanger in my studio. I am curious if anyone may know a little bit of information (or a guess) to it's age and make? There is no serial numbers, no tags, or any information on it what so ever. So even guesses would be more information then I have right now.

[allenhopkins]

My non-expert "analysis" -- American made, early 20th century, a mid-line or better instrument originally, judging by the number of rosewood ribs in the bowl, and the mother-of-pearl rosette and pickguard inlay.

Here's a Midland with some similar features. Midland was a brand made for the Wurlitzer music stores. I'm not ID'ing this as a Midland, but tentatively grouping yours as one of the Chicago-made instruments widely distributed a century ago.

Worth fixing? Quite possibly. Are you considering?

[Willie Poole]

About 20 yeras ago in a small town in New York I found a dirty beat up banjo-mandolin in a shop and they wanted 30 bucks for it so I offered them 25 and the shop owner laughed at me and said, "Does 5 bucks make thet much difference?" I gave him 30 for it, put a new head and new finger board on it and hung it one the wall, it isn`t palyable but looks pretty nice hanging there along with a fiddle that I can`t play either...

Some instruments are just wall hangers and thats it....

Willie

[jake-mando]

Thanks for you opinion Allen. It does appear to be very similar. Looks like a few differences. I will try and have a better look inside with a light and a mirror and see if there are any markings that I missed? I never even though of having it repaired until now. It is kinda of a cool looking mando, and it's mostly all there. I think the neck is good on it. Someone attempted to make a bridge and a nut for it. Very poorly I must add. It looks like one set of tuners if different then the other as well. Next time I head into the city maybe I will take it with and see if they can look at for me, and give me a rough estimate??

[Steve Ostrander]

Is that a noose around the neck?

[jake-mando]

I suppose it could be Steve. Just a knot though. I never could figure out how to tie an actual noose. I thought the same thing when I looked at the pictures that I took. That's how it was on the wall in the store. So it went on mine the same way, for now.

[Hany Hayek]

I have two bowl backs and they were in a worth condition than this one is. Are the tuning machines working. Oil them good first before trying these. Hear it in the conditions it is right now, if it sounds promising, repair it. An old bowl back has charm and it's own spirit.

[jake-mando]

I did find this while looking for info on the net. This is from vintageinstruments.com

BFM - 0002 ca. 1905 "Artist Model" Bowlback Mandolin EXC A fine example of the 'state of the art' in mandolins back it its day. Six ply binding topped off with alternating pieces of ebony and pearl trim the crack free spruce top and a gorgeous pearl butterfly adorns the inlaid tortoise shell pickguard. A one piece Brazilian rosewood skirt encloses 23 rosewood ribs each separated by a thin strip of maple. The new ebony fingerboard is bound and has side dots and ends in an attractive extension that gives a full 22 frets. This mandolin plays easily and sounds great. A beautiful piece of Brazilian rosewood adorns the headstock and its original tuning pegs are in fine shape. No makers name inside. No case.

Price: $995.00 SOLD



Very very close to the same?
Carlo I would love to hear more about the resto pn your bowl backs if would be willing to share. Pics etc?

[Hany Hayek]

This is one of the two mandolins. It's a Carmelo Catania. this is how it looked before I got it restored. It only has 17 ribs and it's mahogany



This is how it sounded after restoration. I still have issues with the tuners which are of very special dimensions and I can not find replacements:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ETPOBLSfgHg?wmode=opaque

I'll post you pics when I get home this afternoon. I did post them previously in the Cafe but sometime ago.

[Hany Hayek]

found the link of previously posted thread:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...litan-Mandolin

[JeffD]

An old bowl back has charm and it's own spirit.

This is very true. It would not be difficult to step into superstition and say they are indewelt by individual spirits. Capricious little children it seems to me.

Jake, from the pictures it does not look unrealistic that the instrument could be brought up to playable condition and give you a lot of years of fun.

[Jim Garber]

The pickguard shape is different on the OP's mandolin. At first I thought it was similar to Tonk Brothers ones I have in a 1904 catalog, but not quite. Still possible. There are lots of butterfly inlays on mandolin pickguards. They were very popular back at the turn of the last century. In fact many of the inlay companies supplied various butterfly inlay sets.