# Instruments and Equipment > Videos, Pictures & Sound Files >  Antique Photo of a Mandolin of the Day

## David W McLaughlin

Please post any original (not published or distributed) antique photo (from your own collection) of a mandolin. The following is an original photo of an unidentified lady from the late teens.

----------


## OlderThanWillie

Here's a photo of me as a young man...

----------


## David W McLaughlin

Here's another one from the same photographer...

----------


## Eugene

Here's a ream of vintage mandobabes. #Be warned, some are a touch risque.

----------

xSinner13x

----------


## pathfinder

Beautiful photos. #Kinda lets us peek back through the curtains of time, when players weren't so preoccupied with what kind of hardware they were playing. #Actually, a few of them looked like they were trying to remember where they'd left their clothes! #

----------


## David W McLaughlin

Unidentified...same photograper as above...

----------


## spud

Are we looking at mandolins?......

cool picks!

Oh to be a fairy mandolin elf!..

 ----------
  Boyd

----------


## GaryM

Hmmmmm...me sporting wings and a mando...??
naaaaa

----------


## David W McLaughlin

Same photo gallery, unidentified...

----------


## Jim Garber

A rather studious, turn-of-the-last-century fellow.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Mandolin orchestra...lots of Gibsons!!

Jim

----------


## ethanopia

great shot of the orchestra...

the Harp guitar on the right has a CRAZY tailpiece? what would oyu call that a T-Bone.

It sure is a nice collection of 3 points, I would love to hear what they sounded like.

----------


## Jim Garber

I have had a page up for sometime with some of the photos from my collection. I have been meaning to add much more when time permits.

Jim

----------


## Plamen Ivanov

Here is a Bulgarian soldier with a mandolin from the beginning of the XX. century. This picture was sold through ebay few months ago.

----------


## P Josey

Could someone give me instructions on how to post a photo using a scanner? Much appreciated.

----------


## jeffshuniak

some of those girls were pretty hot. I'm gonna have to log off for a while...: :Wink: :&#92;

mandobabes -- eugene's post.

----------


## Yonkle

For a second there I thought it was Frank Zappa!

----------


## Neil Gladd

When I put up the Mandobabe page, those were about all I had. I now have more than 80! I also have a few of mandoguys, mandocouples, and mandolin ensembles. Someday I'll update my website.....

----------


## mrmando

David, it sure looks as though those three gals all have the same mandolin, and only the first one comes close to knowing how to hold it ... in other words, the mandolin was being used as a studio prop by the photographer ... is that your interpretation of those pics as well?

----------


## David W McLaughlin

No, actually they are all different mandolins. The ladies were part of a pre-1920 mando group. You will notice that one mandolin above is a tree-point. Another is an F-2, and another is an F-4.

----------


## David W McLaughlin

Correction...two of the mandolins above are three-pointers, but I believe they are not the same mandolin.

----------


## Jim Garber

With a discussion on another thread about 3-points, I figured I'd revive this thread with a few detail photos from my collection.

This is from a photo that seems to appear on a number of sites of 4 women, three of whom are playing mandolins. Only one plays a 3 point tho.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is another one of a woman who also favors a 3-point Gibson.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

And here is a detail from a photo I posted above of a mostly Gibson orchestra. There are 8 3points in all and you can see 6 of them in this cropped photo.

Jim

----------


## Davetnova

I notice they wouldn't let the banjo players into the photo.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I notice they wouldn't let the banjo players into the photo.


Hah! I think that some of the mandolin players double on banjo.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

In an effort to resurrect (yet again) this thread...

Here are a couple of young mando-fanatics from yesteryear.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Two other slightly older young women.

Jim

----------


## Steve Davis

http://www.ncf.ca/~ek867/mandolin.orchestra.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ncf.ca/~ek867/&h=271&w=480&sz=23&tbnid=3vqANXIGd4QJ:&tbnh=71&tbn  w=126&hl=en&start=5&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmandolin%2Borchestra%26hl%3Den%26lr%3  D%26rls%3DDVXA,DVXA:2005-04,DVXA:en%26sa%3DN

----------


## glauber

I think you mean:

----------


## Jim Garber

Here two mandolins, mandola guitar and violin. Looks like most mandolins and possibly the guitar and violin were made by Lyon & Healy (a guess). I always try to guess what kind of music these folks played. Who knows! Prob the hit tunes of the day.

Jim

----------


## danb

Hmm, I see a rope-bound mandola & cello in Jim's photo. Jim- can you post (or email) a larger version of that one? I think it must be close to 1910 as the pickguards are raised on the 3-pointers, that feature didn't last long before that body shape changed. The rope binding on a-shapes intrigues me, I don't have any of those in the archive..

----------


## Jim Garber

> a rope-bound mandola & cello


Dan... sorry for the delay

Jim

----------


## danb

Interesting.. I'm not sure if you have a date for it, but from the raised pickguard on the mandola I'd guess this was at least 1908-1910.. though I'd suspect the rope-bound 'dola itself is earlier.

----------


## Jim Garber

There is no date on the photo tho the photographer was in Brooklyn, NY.

The other thing I just noticed on these rope-bound Gibsons is that altho both the mandola nd mandocello have the fleur-de-lis on the headstock (H-2 and K-2 models?) the mandocello has the Gibson logo at a lesser angle than the mandola.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a nice group with a three point, 2 point and 'cello and mandola (I think). Nice 'dos on these mandobabes, eh?

Jim

----------


## JEStanek

I saw those ladies in StarWars episode III1/2 where Leia's nannies played mando tune to her after doin her hair.

Jamie

----------


## dixiecreek

dang those old pix are awesome haha

----------


## bluesmandolinman

love those old vintage photos !

how you like this bluesmandolinman ?

----------


## Michael Gowell

re. the mandobabes above - aren't those shoes back in fashion now?

----------


## mandopete

Stylin'

----------


## Ken Berner

mandoPete, Ol' Granny DID wear boondockers! Hey, someone out there must have a picture of Lloyd Loar pickin' on one of his creations; please share with us.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Hey, someone out there must have a picture of Lloyd Loar pickin' on one of his creations; please share with us.


Check out this thread for a link to a few promo brochures from Loars early days.

Jim

----------


## Ken Berner

Thank you Jim; that is great stuff, for sure. Lloyd really had his act together!

----------


## Stillpicking

Not really an old photo but an old 3 point in a new photo This one was the start of it or close to the start anyway.

1906 Gibson 3 point

----------


## Jim Garber

A friend of mine just sent me this wonderful postcard.

Jim

----------


## mandoisland

Patrick Vaillant uses No. 1 of this postcard series (last postcard) for his homepage www.bastiancontrari.com - if you want to compare!

----------


## Jim Garber

Hi Michael:
How many others of that series are there? And who is that mandolinist? He has a great expressive face.

Jim

----------


## Stephanie Reiser

Aren't these two musicians Mike Marshall and Chris Thile?
Just kidding, I love these old photos.

----------


## Daniel Nestlerode

If I had to guess I'd say the black man in the top hat was not a blues man. The style of dress predates and doesn't match the usual style blues men wore. This guy is in full top hat, tails, and cummerbund with a white tie. I'd say he was wealthier than most blues men got to be, and dressed for something a litle more uptown than the blues. Late minstrel period perhaps?

The more I look at it the more I think it's likely to be around 1918-1922: early diaspora. Probably taken in a north eastern city like Philly, New York, or Boston.

Daniel, big guesser.

----------


## John Zimm

Here's a unique one:

----------


## John Zimm

And here's the news story that goes with the photo:

----------


## Tatoosh

I understand the turtles were very much against this practice.

----------

xSinner13x

----------


## mandoisland

Here is another one from a series that has been already posted here. The postcard was sent in 1904 in the south of France.

----------


## bluesmandolinman

> If I had to guess I'd say the black man in the top hat was not a blues man. The style of dress predates and doesn't match the usual style blues men wore. This guy is in full top hat, tails, and cummerbund with a white tie. I'd say he was wealthier than most blues men got to be, and dressed for something a litle more uptown than the blues. Late minstrel period perhaps?
> 
> The more I look at it the more I think it's likely to be around 1918-1922: early diaspora. Probably taken in a north eastern city like Philly, New York, or Boston.
> 
> Daniel, big guesser.


Hi Daniel ( I didn´t notice your response before)

I like your nickname "big guesser"

I understand your argument but on the other hand think about the famous photo of Robert Johnson. That wasn´t his normal outfit either ! So who knows under which circumstances the above player was pictured . 

But I agree : their is a big chance he wasn´t a bluesmandolinman ( I just like the term  )

And btw ... most musicians were "living music boxes" and not limited to a special style . The style we associate them is most often to the recordings we hear. But it was the music industry that decided what to record and therefore it is not necessarily a correct picture of their repertoire .

Can you direct me to sources for this kind of information you are referring to ? ( it's likely to be around 1918-1922: early diaspora. Probably taken in a north eastern city like Philly, New York, or Boston ) this is very interesting...

René

----------


## mandoisland

I got this nice postcard today, which had been sent in Paris in 1903. I was surprised to find a mandolin with an Embergher head on this postcard, as can be seen on the detail.

----------


## mandoisland

Detail

----------


## nigelgatherer

This is somewhere in the UK, but there's no way of telling where.

----------


## Jim Garber

I just found this one from the University of Buffalo site:



Jim

----------


## Bob DeVellis

Albert Hartley and Ed Gail. The mandola is a Howe-Orme. The mandolin may be an Elias Howe Univeristy model or one of the other guitar-shaped instruments around at the turn of the 20th century.




.

----------


## Bob DeVellis

What looks like a funky style tailpiece on the mandola (and mandolin, too, actually) appears to be something like lead or leather wrapped around the tailpiece and string ends. It might be a hand-fashioned extended tailpiece cover. I wonder if it was to improve balance of the instrument or prevent sleeve snags on the string windings after the tailpiece cover went missing.

There's also something that looks like the original Wood Nymph under the strings between the tailpiece and bridge.


.

----------


## Jim Garber

Bob:
I would imagine that it would be more for the sleeve snag prevention. That guitar looks mighty big for the period. Any clue what that is?

Jim

----------


## Bob DeVellis

Jim, you're right, it is big for the time. I don't know what it is. Anybody else? 

Rick Turner shared a few observations with me about this picture. First, the mandolin, held by the plare on the right, is an American Conservatory identical to one Rick has. He also pointed out that, in addition to the "extra bridge" between the bridge and tailpiece, there's one between the nut and tuners. This guy was working hard either to eliminate or tune resonances from the strings outside of the usual active string length.

----------


## bluesmandolinman

this is a picture from aprox. 1930-40s from a family relative of mine . The pictured mandolin was given to me by my grandma some 10 years ago.... of course I still have it !
nothing spectacular but it got me started

----------


## Arnt

Here is s a picture from the 1920's. It is a May 17th. parade in Sunndal, Norway (our country's constitution day). There were usually marching bands leading these parades even back then, but as this was a small community, some local musicians likely got the job for the day. I can't quite make out the details (perhaps some of you can) but the instruments look like a harp guitar, an accordion and a bowl back mandolin, all highly in fashion back then.

----------


## Arnt

Here is a close up of the band. They look sharp, no?

----------


## mandoisland

I have added a foto-album with ca. 20 old postcards that I have bought during the last weeks. The following pictures might be interesting for this thread.

First a postcard of a group called "Troupe Figaro" which shows a mandola and a guitar with extra bass strings. I wonder which kind of music they played.

----------


## mandoisland

The mandola from this picture, it looks like the soundboard is decorated.

----------


## mandoisland

The guitar from this picture

----------


## mandoisland

And last from an postcard about Carneval a very special instrument, looks like a mandolin with 4 strings. The complete album with postcards can be found on my homepage in the picksibition area - my museeum of all kind of mandolin related fun stuff.

----------


## Arnt

Hi mandoisland, I checked out your web site. I like it, and I had fun finding a lot of European Mandolin maker's sites on your links pages. There aren't too many up here in Norway (that I know of anyways), so you have gien me some interesting new names that aren't that far from where I live. Thanks!

----------


## Jim Garber

I just acquired this interesting promotional postcard for A. Monzino & Figli in Milan. They mention awards from 1906 and 1907, so I assume that it dates from after that, possibly the teens to 1920s.

It is a 4-panel fold out and here is the cover panel. The other two will follow.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is a picture of the Monzino luthiers at work. In the bottom middle of the photo, you can see a liuto moderno (10 string mandocello) and an 8-string mandocello.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is the string making room.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

I also just acquired this photo. Send in the clowns...

Jim

----------


## JEStanek

Jim,

Your collection is amazing!

Jamie

----------


## JimD

> I also just acquired this photo. Send in the clowns...


Pickliacci?

----------


## levin4now

Isn't one of these gentlemen starring in a hit NBC show?

----------


## Jim Garber

A few more from the archives. Here is a nice all-Gibson band complete with mandobass. Some of these look late twenties (straight script on the pegheads) so I would date it somewhere around that or thirties.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

This girl is either very small or she is playing a mandola.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

A midget band... enough said! A L&H (or Martin?) mandolin and a mandolinetto of some sort.

Jim

----------


## Bob DeVellis

Here's another Steve Carell look-alike mandolinist from bygone days. Same guy? This one's name is L. W. Osgood and the picture is from about 1900.


.

----------


## Keith Erickson

Jim,

¡¡¡Holy Smokes Dude!!!

Do you live in a museum?   

I have to say you've got some collection there. Thank you for sharing with us all of those neat pics!!!

----------


## Jim Garber

I got a few more to share... and yes, I do live in a museum. 

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

From Mary's House of David, a religious(?) organization in Michigan that (I believe) frowned on shaving. A few oddball mandolins.

Jim

----------


## reb0964

> Please post any original (not published or distributed) antique photo (from your own collection) of a mandolin. The following is an original photo of an unidentified lady from the late teens.


Hey Dave,,,,Not sure if she's the same lady or not,,,but i ran across a pic forgibson mandolins and the girl holding it was a silent screen actress along the same time your pic is,,,,Her name is Priscilla Dean!! 

       Thanks Russell...

       P.s.  Whens the JMB getting back together???
       Awesome mandolin playing Dave!!!

----------


## Ken Berner

My first impression was that some of these gents may have fathered the Soggy Bottom Boys. I remember from my childhood in the late '40s, going to baseball games between locals and a House of David team. Yep, they were all bearded, but that didn't hinder their ability at all.

----------


## Jim Garber

I just found this one on a Battle Creek, MI historic site:



Entitled: Washburn Mandolin and Guitar Quintette

Too bad it was ripped.

Jim

----------


## markishandsome

Mostly only hit the guitar player though, so nothing of value was really lost

----------


## delsbrother

Loar pix on eBay.

----------


## Jim Garber

From the archives of the Virginia Military Institute, 1911.

----------


## Slim Pickins

JGarber.. Great old collection. Thanks for sharing with us.

----------


## Jim Garber

That is not from my collection, tho. Sometimes I search for something else and find some treasures I never saw before.

Jim

----------


## delsbrother

I wonder if any of those boys ended up in either World War...

----------


## Paul Hostetter

Here's one of the Aurora Mandoline [sic] Orchestra in 1937. My friend Tony Flores is the one with the red bowtie playing a Martin mandola.



The conductor's name was Frank Fontana, a jeweler in North Beach. I own his F-4. Tony said most of these guys were either butchers or barbers, and 9 out of 10 were Italian. I have similar group photos from two other years as well. Tony worked a great deal as a trio with the guy playing the bass (who would play 2nd mandolin) and the guy playing the Paramount guitar.

----------


## Jim Garber

Wonderful photo, Paul. I see some interesting instruments in it: National Duolian; Martin R-18 (I think); Epiphone Recording A or B (flattop?)... Hard to tell but I would imagine that there were a few Italian bowlbacks ther as well. Has Gregg Miner id'ed the harp guitar?

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Nice photo I just got of a young trio from yesteryear. Looks like student level instruments, possibly Lyon & Healy (by the tailpiece shape).

Jim

----------


## Bob Sayers

Are those a couple of F-5s with the House of David fellas? Do you suppose that the Blue Grass Boys might have played a ball game or two against them? Or that one of them might have left his F-5 in a Florida barbershop when he went in to have his beard trimmed?

"Gee, but ain't it grand, can't you hear that band
Play the House of David blues."

Artbur Smith, "House of David Blues"

Bob

----------


## Jim Garber

> Are those a couple of F-5s with the House of David fellas?


I think the guy in the bottom center has a Gibson. The one in the back row looks like a sloppy copy of one.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

It has been awhile for this thread. I just came across this one. Two people who played music --one on an oddball round-bodied mandolin (looks homemade) and one grouchy-looking listener or singer.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Here are two proper young women with their proper Italian bowlbacks. One looks like a Demeglio.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is a family(?) practicing for their next gig. I would say 1940s or 50s, maybe.

I think the guitar and mandola on the right are Larson creations. The two F5s look like Gibsons. One has a double-handled vase inlay. 

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

I guess the Vase inlay makes it either an F-7, F-10 or F12. 

Here is a detail for DanB's (and others) interests.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

It has been awhile that anyone posted here. 

Here are a couple of new acquisitions.

This from the Oklahoma territory. The guy seems to be playing some lowend Lyon & Healy mandolin.

Jim

----------


## Jim Garber

Nice group shot of mandolin orchestra possible from Calfornia, maybe teens or twenties. It looks like a few Italian instruments.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is one detail with what looks like a fancy Italian, possibly Roman instrument.

----------


## Jim Garber

Nice harp guitar in the back.

----------


## Jim Garber

The bass section. Looks like one Gibson and one I can't ID.

----------


## Keith Miller

1 more

----------


## Ken Berner

I suppose a family that picks together, sticks together (no velcro content).

----------


## Jim Garber

I just got this one today. It is marked on the back with the names of the players: Charles Young, Albert Ruehman & Pete Jeppson (guitar).

The mandolinetto is by Lyon & Healy. Not sure about the mandolin or the guitar.

----------


## Jim Garber

Yet another jovial group from Geneva, Ohio.

----------


## JeffD

Jim you must have one heck of a collection of those pictures!

----------


## Jim Garber

Lastly (for tonight) a group that many of you will recognize.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is Dave with a nice Fern.

----------


## Jim Garber

Some cool Filipino mandocelloid-ists.

----------


## Jim Garber

> Jim you must have one heck of a collection of those pictures!


I am insane... I keep finding things I didn't know I had. Frightening!

----------


## Jason Kessler

What do you suppose is the origin and, perhaps, "meaning" of the ribbons that stream from the pegheads of the instruments in the earliest photos? I some cases, they look coordinated. Do they have any significance beyond the merely decorative?

----------


## DryBones

> What do you suppose is the origin and, perhaps, "meaning" of the ribbons that stream from the pegheads of the instruments in the earliest photos? #I some cases, they look coordinated. #Do they have any significance beyond the merely decorative?


those are the winners from Winfield for that year!

----------


## Michael Gowell

As they'd say on 'South Park' "Totally gay."

----------


## delsbrother

Jim, is there a date on that Apollon Orchestra shot? The "mandocelli" are very interesting. In other threads it was speculated some might have been made by L&H; would you agree or disagree? None of these look Chicagoish to me. I would also guess they were lauds or octavinas (or whatever the name of the big rondalla instrument is). The one on the left appears to have a maker's name inlaid in the peghead. 

Very interesting construction - look at the scroll headstock on that one in the back (_muito portuguese, não é?_)! I also find the pickguards/inlay fascinating - not unlike many European instruments I've seen on the 'bay lately. Also very similar to the funky inlay patterns of the luthier I'm researching, Chris Knutsen. Still trying to piece together who his influences were (vs. who he influenced). He made at least one harp bandurria, and lived very close to where Filipinos (and for that matter, Ukrainians, Italians, etc.) lived in LA. Could he have been influenced by rondalla instruments? European instruments? Mexican instruments?

If you don't mind I'm going to print the image and take it around to some other Filipino musicians I know. Maybe someone can help me ID the makers. Do you know if any of these people lived in the Los Angeles area?

Darrell

ps You realize if you ever gathered together all of your images into books, they would sell like.... _Lumpia!_

----------


## Linda Binder

I'm sure many people here have seen this but here's Jim's picture with sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4SFn5avl_E

----------


## JeffD

Dave Apollon is one of the best!

----------


## Jim Garber

delsbrother:
 I would think that those instruments were built in the Philippines and were influenced by Spanish instruments like the bandurria. I know very little of Filipino music tho it would be interesting to find out.

I highly doubt Chicago-made tho.

Jim

----------


## billhay4

Looks to me like he's playing a Lyon and Healey in the video, not a Gibson.
Bill

----------


## Ken Berner

The gay ribbons hanging from the mandolins might be explained this way, "after the performance, all the groupies gather around and the pickers use the ribbons to tie up the girl's stockings". Will that work?

----------


## JGWoods

It's so they don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows...

----------


## Alex of the North

Could those 'mandocellos' be 12 string guitars?

----------


## Eugene

> Yet another jovial group from Geneva, Ohio.


Woo-hoo! Not far from my home turf.

----------


## HarmonyRexy

We saw this at the new World of CocaCola in Atlanta. #Norman Rockwell did it for Coke in the '30s. #They are definitely drinking their favorite drink.

----------


## Jim Garber

Wow, that looks like Norman's idea of what a Regal reverse scroll mandolin looks like. Thanks for the posting.

Jim

----------


## Neil Gladd

Homer & Jethro with their usual bowlback and zither. Hey! Wait a minute!!!

----------


## Neil Gladd

Here's a really early one:

----------


## Jim Garber

Another one from the Golden Age of Outrageous Moustaches.

I think this is European as the date says 21-9-1912. I am not sure what the guy's name is but it might be Lord St. Vincent or John St. Vincent.

----------


## Jim Garber

A detail of the mandolin shows some ornate inlay on the top. Might be a French instrument. I think I have seen bowlbacks with that sort of ornamentation. Also, you can see that there is some sort of cover over the string posts, possibly to protect them from getting caught in the guy's moustache.  

The sheet music that is visible says "Valse Pastorale" by Green.

----------


## Jim Garber

A lovely young couple from the same era, tho I think he is trying to grow a moustache -- in fact, she may be trying also. I do like her hairdo.

----------


## MandoSquirrel

cute.
Any bets on which can twirl his or her handlebars first?

----------


## Jim Garber

> A detail of the mandolin shows some ornate inlay on the top. Might be a French instrument.


Ah yes, Here is one labelled Euterpia.

----------


## Ken Berner

The young lady's "do" looks like a reverse Mohawk.

----------


## Jim Garber

I am not sure what ethnicity these costumes represent but it must have been interesting music these girls were playing on a mandolin-banjo, violin and bowlback.

----------


## Jason Kessler

AGAIN with the ribbons!

----------


## mickey66

Is it just me or do these mandobabes(most of them)look a little beefy?

----------


## MandoSquirrel

It's called "Rubenesque"; used to be the body to die for. Showed Health, in a time when women's lives were hard.

----------


## Duc Vu

> Another one from the Golden Age of Outrageous Moustaches.
> 
> I think this is European as the date says 21-9-1912. I am not sure what the guy's name is but it might be Lord St. Vincent or John St. Vincent.


Pont-St-Vincent, in Lorraine, France.

----------


## mandolooter

cute

----------


## MandoSquirrel

That's interesting!

----------


## Ken Berner

The full-body "skin" is alluring to me; she takes the cake, regardless of what mandolin she picks!

----------


## Jim Garber

> Originally Posted by  (jgarber @ Oct. 06 2007, 13:23)
> 
> Another one from the Golden Age of Outrageous Moustaches.
> 
> I think this is European as the date says 21-9-1912. I am not sure what the guy's name is but it might be Lord St. Vincent or John St. Vincent.
> 
> 
> Pont-St-Vincent, in Lorraine, France.


Hmmmmm... you may be correct. Perhaps the guy initialled the card in the lower right corner.

----------


## Jim Garber

> The full-body "skin" is alluring to me; she takes the cake, regardless of what mandolin she picks!


That looks like one of those Pollman mandolin-banjos -- banjo neck on a mandolin-like body. It even has that bone or ivory disc inlay.

----------


## Jim Garber

Time to revive this thread a little. It has been awhile. I spent way too much on this photo but there is a lot to contribute -- see what I do for you folks?

Well, it is post 1923 or so... you will see why in the next posting. 

Interesting group: mandolin family instruments, National guitars, banjos, harp guitar, etc.

----------


## Jim Garber

This guy must be the concertmaster with his 20s F5 (possibly Loar?) I wonder if that is his significant other with that harp guitar.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here are a couple of Martin style 20s which would date this photo at earliest to 1929. The guy on the right looks especially happy... or catatonic.

----------


## Jim Garber

These two instruments flanking the guitar are very interesting. At first I thought the mandola on the right was a Portuguese guitarra but it looks like it only has 8 tuners. The style looks sort of familiar, I might guess someone like Gaetano Puntilillo (Majestic) or Michael Iucci. That is a pretty wild guess. The tenor guitar on the left might be by the same maker.

There are a few other instruments of note here: a Majestic and two Vega banjos; a Kay Kraft guitar, a Martin A mandolin, an engraved National tricone, a Lyon & Healy style B, etc.

----------


## Jim Garber

Lastly, there is this octave mandola with a pearl fretboard. Looks like it could be a Bohmann (from the stars on the peghead).... or not. I think the guy made his own tailpiece.

----------


## Martin Jonas

> These two instruments flanking the guitar are very interesting. At first I thought the mandola on the right was a Portuguese guitarra but it looks like it only has 8 tuners. The style looks sort of familiar, I might guess someone like Gaetano Puntilillo (Majestic) or Michael Iucci. That is a pretty wild guess.


I have to say that this looks very very similar in scale length, shape, soundhole size/location and scratchplate design to the fancier models of Boehm waldzither, except that it has only eight tuners rather than nine. I know Boehm made mandolins (which they called "Waldoline") that were basically scaled-down waldzithers with eight strings. They may also have made them in mandola size.

Puntilillo is a possibility, too -- we know he had business links to the German musical instruments market, so he may well have picked up on waldzither designs.

Martin

----------


## Martin Jonas

Found this one on a German Ebay auction. A rather working-class-looking mandolin ensemble, or possibly family group. The mandolins all look massmarket German (one of them 12-string, I think). The boy (or small adult?) in the centre seems to play one of those six-string lute guitars that were popular in Germany. Strange to have a single violinist in there. The Ebay seller says it's from 1910, but I don't know whether there is anything on the back of the photo to support that date.

Martin

Edit: I now see that although the Ebay seller is in Germany, he states the postcard's origin as "Greece". I have to say that there is nothing in this picture that looks Greek to me, and a lot that looks German, but who knows?

----------


## MML

As always great pictures Jim. There sure are a wide variety
of instruments there.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I have to say that this looks very very similar in scale length, shape, soundhole size/location and scratchplate design to the fancier models of Boehm waldzither, except that it has only eight tuners rather than nine. I know Boehm made mandolins (which they called "Waldoline") that were basically scaled-down waldzithers with eight strings. They may also have made them in mandola size.


You can see what Martin is talking about here

This one really does look like the one in the photo except for the tuners:

----------


## Gutbucket

> Here are a couple of Martin style 20s which would date this photo at earliest to 1929. The guy on the right looks especially happy... or catatonic.


Looks like he sat on the other guy's metronome.

----------


## Jim Garber

Just in... a woman's mandolin group from the UK, tunr of the last century. For you bowlheads, most of those mandolins are most likely from the deMeglio shop or copies thereof. More details will follow.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's one section closeup. Once again, those ribbons.

Man, I just realized I have to clean the glass on my scanner. There are red blotches.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's the center section. Nice hairdos, as usual, esp that woman in the center.

----------


## Jim Garber

And the final right side.

----------


## good_ol_al_61

Shouldn't these be posted also under the "women with mandolins" thread?

I do believe that the lovely lady with the harp Guitar is staring at me!

----------


## Lefty&French

> Originally Posted by  (codeew @ Oct. 31 2007, 01:08)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by  (jgarber @ Oct. 06 2007, 13:23)
> 
> ...



It's french (or speaking french) because it says :
Pont St Vincent
le 21-9-1912

----------


## brunello97

Nice picture, Jim, and great scanning. Interesting to see so many deMeglios in one group, like the Embergher tunas and the Gibson orchestras. Maybe we now have a clearer idea where some of the ebay deMeglios might have originally come from. The woman in the back to the right has an interesting mandolin, with the front mounted tuners.

Mick

----------


## David Newton

Send that photo to Nick Park, I see a "Wallace & Grommet" episode there.

----------


## Martin Jonas

Somehow none of my mandolin lessons were ever quite like that. The young lady in this vintage postcard from Ebay.de seems to be overcome by her passion for the mandolin to the point of losing her clothes and jumping the instructor.

Martin
Warning: some nudity, which is why I refrain from uploading the actual photo here.

----------


## delsbrother

OK, I wanna party with these guys!



But what kind of mando is that? Dig the funky soundhole.. ??

----------


## JEStanek

Didn't I see that photo on the back of the DVD box for Reefer Madness? The guy in the middle of the back row looks like Anakin Skywalker after he finished off a room full of unarmed bad guys!

Jamie

----------


## Jim Garber

Recent acquisition: Promo shot of the Andrini Brothers from San Francisco, 1945. Lawrence Andrini was the mandolinist -- actually the mandolirist -- in this photo. Nice D'Angelico guitar, too, played by his brother Frank!! On the back of the photo it says: "appearing on Bob Hope Show, Sun. Dec 16.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is a close-up of Lawrence's mandolin.

----------


## delsbrother

Is that a shrunken head hanging from the D'Angelico?

----------


## Bobbie Dier

If you're not careful you could put you're eye out with that thing. It looks like his scroll came uncurled.

----------


## Neil Gladd

> Recent acquisition: Promo shot of the Andrini Brothers from San Francisco, 1945. Lawrence Andrini was the mandolinist -- actually the mandolirist -- in this photo.


Lawrence Andrini was a student of Bernardo de Pace. When I met DePace's daughter, some 20 years ago, she had 2 LPs they had made and sent to him. I have never seen any other reference to those records, (until now). While in the middle of this posting, I Googled Andrini Brothers, found one of the LPs on eBay, and just bought it!

----------


## Jim Garber

These records are mentioned in Sheri Mignano Crawford's book _Mandolins, Like Salami*_. She says:




> Eventually, Frank and Lawrence Andrini produced two LPs but no recordings of theri own compositions. Gateway Recordings (GLP 9012) included virtuosic pieces from the classical and operatic repertoire. The record sleeve shows them playing banjolins...


*please note the careful punctuation to avoid misinterpretation

She doesn't mention the other LP. Neil, which one did you find?

----------


## Jim Garber

A few more Andrini Brothers photos from harpguitars.net:







(also from Sheri's book)

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is the cover of the LP that Neil snared. Strange that this one is Gateway 9012 but I don't see any photo of them (probably on the back of the sleeve).

Here is the info from the ebay listing:



> The World Famous Andrini Brothers
> 
> This mono LP Record was released by Gateway Records GLP 9012.
> 
> Frank and Lawrence Andrini (mandolin) are featured on this album. 
> 
> The track listing is as follows: 
> 
> ANthony's Tune
> ...

----------


## Ken Berner

On The Ed Sullivan Show?

----------


## Neil Gladd

> On The Ed Sullivan Show?


I'll have to look into that. The entire run of the Ed Sullivan show was acquired by the Library of Congress a couple of years ago.

----------


## Jim Garber

I remember watching some Ed Sullivan shows, like the one with the Beatles, years ago at the Museum of Broadcasting in New York. As I mentioned, on the back of the photo I have, they say that the brothers played on the Bob Hope Show. However this was in 1945 so probably was either Radio or maybe even USO. The photo from Sheri's book with Ed was dated circa 1955.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a recent acquisition: a mexican band playing at a hotel in Colorado. Strange that they are playing mandolins and that other instrument on the right looks like it once had 18 strings but this guy might have been using it either as a bajo sexto or a guitar. Then again, it is possible that whoever labelled the photo is mistaken and they are Filipino musicians. OTOH look at the outfits. Anyone have a clue?

Hey, I didn't realize that you can post up to 293k pics and more than one attached to a thread. Pretty cool!!!

----------


## Jim Garber

Here are a few more pictures recently acquired. A friend gave me the trade card which is definitely odd. The woman is playing what looks like a right-handed mandolin lefty.

----------


## brunello97

Awesome pictures, J.  I love the Pierrotini and the tot with Gibson in the very NEW suburban landscape of what 1920?  The bungalow in the back looks more than a bit like our house in Austin, which is about as old as my Gibson, come to think of it.

Thanks for posting these, a great group of images to come across at the end of the day.

Mick

----------


## delsbrother

They don't look Filipino.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I just found this one on a Battle Creek, MI historic site:
> 
> Entitled: Washburn Mandolin and Guitar Quintette
> 
> Too bad it was ripped.
> 
> Jim


I figured I would find these again and upload -- we couldn't do that in the old days.

----------


## Jim Garber

> From the archives of the Virginia Military Institute, 1911.


Here's another one I refound.

----------


## Jim Garber

Forgive me if I put something that was up here already. Here is a nice panoramic photo of a Brooklyn, NY mandolin orchestra from 1918.

----------


## billkilpatrick

> I remember watching some Ed Sullivan shows, like the one with the Beatles, years ago at the Museum of Broadcasting in New York. As I mentioned, on the back of the photo I have, they say that the brothers played on the Bob Hope Show. However this was in 1945 so probably was either Radio or maybe even USO. The photo from Sheri's book with Ed was dated circa 1955.


i remember seeing peter ustinov performing as a stand-up comic on the ed sullivan show, doing a PERFECT imitation of mandolin vibrato.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a neat picture of a tamburitza orchestra.

----------


## Pete Counter

> This guy must be the concertmaster with his 20s F5 (possibly Loar?) I wonder if that is his significant other with that harp guitar.


Man what a face, she looks pretty significant to me.  :Grin:

----------


## MANDOLINMYSTER

Here ya go.

----------


## Bob DeVellis

Howe-Orme there front and center.

----------


## MANDOLINMYSTER

> Howe-Orme there front and center.


I thought so...anyone know what the instrument to the left of it is?

----------


## Jim Garber

> I thought so...anyone know what the instrument to the left of it is?


Bowed zither. Tuned like violin but played straight up on a table like a zither. Of German invention. Some actually looked more like violins. Two concert zithers on either side.

Michael: do you own that photo? great!

----------


## Michael Gowell

I believe those piano-top shaped flanking zithers are usually called "Salzburg zithers."  I've got one, picked up at a flea market 40 years ago for $15.  Too many strings to tune - 5 fretted & 24 sympathetic..

----------


## Jim Garber

Those may very well be called Salzburg zithers for all I know -- I know them as concert zithers or alpine zithers. I have a friend who plays one quite well. There are 5 fretted strings and the number of other strings are variable depending on the zither. Those strings are not sympathetic but are plucked with finger picks and are usually used for chord or bass accompaniment to the melody played on the fretted strings.

Take a look here:

----------


## Backlineman

I've posted this picture of my Great Grandfather's Mandolin Orchestra on another part of the Forum before, but here it is again if you didn't see it before. It's from 1921, and was a Gibson Catalog "Everyone a Gibson-ite" promotional photo, and included my great grandfather, great grandmother, grand father and several great aunts.

----------


## Jim Garber

Excellent, Backlineman! It is wonderful to have someone whose ancestors played. I was going to ask you to ID the photo but you did already on your blog:



> Promotional photo for 1921 Gibson Mandolin Company Catalog: Ivers Mandolin Orchestra, Adams, Massechusetts.
> 
> Members I can identify: Center Middle Row: Joseph Ivers, Orchestra leader, Gibson Mandolin Company Agent,and my Great Grandfather, Center Left Holding a Gibson F-4 Mary Ivers-Bassette, my Great Grandmother, Back Row from left: Leonore Ivers-Carmel, my Great Aunt, George Ivers, my Grandfather, Sitting in front, white dress, Doris Ivers-Houston, my Great Aunt.

----------


## Jim Garber

Recently acquired, young person mandolin and guitar group. With a few details. I see a few American Conservatory and what looks like a Vega. The detail in the front shows a mandolin with a white round medallion on the headstock which might be an Empire State made by Viohl.

----------


## Mike Snyder

What are those canister-shaped things that the girls in the center are holding?

----------


## mrmando

> What are those canister-shaped things that the girls in the center are holding?


Grenade launchers. Don't mess with 'em.

----------


## Jim Garber

> What are those canister-shaped things that the girls in the center are holding?


My guess is that they are either sheet music cases and that they are singers or else flute cases. Of course, Martin's guess is much more entertaining!

----------


## Dan Hoover

i thought they might be too big for electronic tuners??...these are all really great old pic's...fascinating...where do you guy's find these??

----------


## Jim Garber

I just got this panoramic shot of a mandolin orchestra from Elgin, IL in 1939. Lots of Gibsons -- some rather modest -- a few Kalamazoos, some other mandolins and guitars and a mando bass. Full shot and some details.

----------


## brunello97

Awesome photo, Jim.  I dig the 'skeleton' shirt uniforms.  I wonder if they were glow-in-the-dark?  

Nice point about the relative modesty of the instruments during the late-depression era.  A bit of a difference from the A-4 and F laden ensembles we might have seen 10-12 years earlier.

Mick

----------


## Tavy

> I just got this panoramic shot of a mandolin orchestra from Elgin, IL in 1939. Lots of Gibsons -- some rather modest -- a few Kalamazoos, some other mandolins and guitars and a mando bass. Full shot and some details.


Great shot - love the uniforms - and that mandobass is a monster!

----------


## pchristi

> I just got this panoramic shot of a mandolin orchestra from Elgin, IL in 1939. Lots of Gibsons -- some rather modest -- a few Kalamazoos, some other mandolins and guitars and a mando bass. Full shot and some details.


Great Photo -
In 1939 times were very good in Elgin.  The Elgin Watch Factory 
<<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elgin_National_Watch_Company>>  was in full swing.  
It had an even greater effect on Elgin than Dell Computer had on Austin, Tx.  It 
build fantastic homes and put everyone in a new car.  And apparently financed Mandolin Orchestras.  Perhaps the factory purchased a large number of the mandolins and is why many of the instruments are the same and not the more expensive A-4s and Fs.

----------


## Jim Garber

Cool background info, pchristi. Did you live there?

----------


## pchristi

Jim, A good friend of mine grew up in Elgin.  I asked him if he recognized anyone in that picture.  He said no, but responded with the information about the Elgin Watch Factory.  Seemed interesting enough to share.

----------


## ColdBeerGoCubs

Ive got a friend and his wife who live out in Elgin.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's a nice real photo postcard with some musicians in clown costumes. I love that bass -- or whatever it is.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's another one that I don't think I posted. Nice band with mostly Gibsons. They all look pretty new, too. I can post a few details, maybe tomorrow.

----------


## Jim Garber

Okay... here are a few larger detail shots.

----------


## Jim Garber

This one has a stamp on the back saying "San Antonio, 1927." I like it for the pun on mandolin pick. Hmmmm... if it were in color, maybe it would be an early Blue Chip pick.

----------


## resophonic

Here is an interesting fellow, nice suit!

----------


## resophonic

> Awesome photo, Jim.  I dig the 'skeleton' shirt uniforms.  I wonder if they were glow-in-the-dark?  
> 
> Nice point about the relative modesty of the instruments during the late-depression era.  A bit of a difference from the A-4 and F laden ensembles we might have seen 10-12 years earlier.
> 
> Mick


Ladies mandolin club laden with F models.

----------


## Jim Garber

nice, Reso... is that one yours? I like the headgear.

----------


## resophonic

Yes Jim, I used the image as a screen saver on my computer for a couple of years. These girls probably bought their mandolins through their music instructor.

----------


## Darryl Wolfe

Actually, it sorta looks like only one know how to play at that point.  I really enjoy these pictures

----------


## Darryl Wolfe

Here is my contribution.  Everyone has seen this in Gibson catalogs.  But, I own the original

Wm. Griffith, Atlanta, GA  Loar F5 72615

----------


## Jim Garber

> Here is my contribution.  Everyone has seen this in Gibson catalogs.  But, I own the original
> 
> Wm. Griffith, Atlanta, GA  Loar F5 72615


Exceedingly cool. Darryl!

----------


## Darryl Wolfe

Thanks..when I say original, it is from the Griffith estate, it a real photo and is in a folder with an Atlanta studio name embossed.  It could be one of however many I guess though.  It's a silk textured deal

----------


## Galimando

Here's a photo of a mandolin orchestra (Gibson?) that I forgot I had but just came across and scanned for you all to see

----------


## Jim Garber

> Here's a photo of a mandolin orchestra (Gibson?) that I forgot I had but just came across and scanned for you all to see


That is a real beauty, Galimando. Can you post a few larger detail shots for us Gibsonphiles? it is interesting that there are no Fs in this ensemble. Oh, wait, it looks like the guy in the front row has an F but he is holding it sideways. Was there any writing on the photo indicating who they were or where they were located and what year? Probably teens?

----------


## Galimando

Thanks Jim!  Yeah, that guy's definitely got an F.  And a fine little mustache.  Here's a detail:
I have no idea who they are.  It says "Gibson 1902" on the back, but it looks like that was recently added.  There are no truss rods, so I'd say it's probably teens as well.  I'd say the guitarist seems to be playing an L-3 (based on the headstock design), if that tells anyone anything.

----------


## Jim Garber

As you know those instruments are much later than 1902. Thanks fro the detail.

----------


## Backlineman

> Here's a photo of a mandolin orchestra (Gibson?) that I forgot I had but just came across and scanned for you all to see


This is the "Polish Plectoral Symphony Orchestra" Camden New Jersey. It's an "Everyone A Gibson-ite" marketing campaign photo published in the Gibson Catalog "L" maybe 1920 or early 1921? I have been scanning a lot of these Gibson Catalog photos and posting them on a Blog: iversmandolinorchestra.blogspot.com if you care to see more.

----------


## Galimando

Wow, Backline, that's amazing!  How can you tell its them?  Does the catalog say anything else about the group?

----------


## Backlineman

Well, I'll look around for more info, but the caption under this picture in the Gibson Catalog "L" Published in 1920 says: "EVERYONE A GIBSON-ITE, Polish Plectoral Symphony Orchestra Camden New Jersey." There are hundreds of these staged or posed mandolin orchestra photos used in Gibson Catalogs from the teens through the early twenties 20's. As you may well know, during this era "Teacher-Agents" were encouraged to start mandolin orchestras and clubs as a way of moving product. Photos of and testimonials by these groups and their leaders fill the pages of these early Gibson catalogs. My Great Grandfather was a Gibson teacher-Agent, Mandolin Orchestra leader, and was a booking agent for "Gibson-ite" orchestras. One of his Orchestra's was pictured in the 1921 Gibson catalog "M". ( http://iversmandolinorchestra.blogspot.com ) I'm always on the look out for any information about Gibson during this era (especially teens and early twenties) in the form of photo's or correspondence. Do you have the original of this photo? and if so how did you did you come across it?

----------


## Jim Garber

Here's one I recently acquired. There are names indicated and New York City photographer but that is all I know. Not a Gibson to be found here tho. Some interesting bowlbacks and guitars, tho. I esp like the dark top one on the left and the Howe-Orme mandolinetto.

----------


## Schlegel

That banjo-inspired peghead- I've seen the shape before: Bauer?

----------


## Jim Garber

It has been slow (for me) on the vintage photo acquisition front lately. However, I got this one some time ago. It has a stamp that says B. Aires which i assume is Buenos Aires, Argentina. It also says Corrientes 1938 but I don't think that is the year, prob the address since it is the photographer's stamp. I would date this much earlier like teens or before.

I like the look of his mandolin: f-holes but sort of shaped like some South American instruments -- shape reminds me of a Venezuelan bandola. Also this one has an extended fretboard similar to many Italian mandolins. it also looks like this guy played this quite a bit -- there is a lot of wear on the top.

The headstock is kind of interesting -- I can't quite tell if there are cutouts in the headstock or not, but there seems to be a plaque on the top that might have said who made it.

------------

I just checked and there is an Avenida Corrientes in Buenos Aires.

----------


## JEStanek

Cool find!

Jamie

----------


## Jim Garber

> I just found this one on a Battle Creek, MI historic site:
> Entitled: Washburn Mandolin and Guitar Quintette
> Too bad it was ripped.


_This one was unlinked from the site but I found it -- worth reposting..._

----------


## Schlegel

Looks like a very early Washburn on the left-  I have one I think is like it with the weird X bracing in the bowl.  Maybe Regals for the other two.

----------


## Jim Garber

Interesting photo from music/photo studio in Philadelphia circa 1910. This, I assume, is one of the students of Prof Cutillo who gets his own free monthly photo. I think his mandolin is a Weymann, which would certainly make sense for Philadelphia.

Nice details on the back with a slice of history as to what mandolin lessons were like then.

----------


## brunello97

Cool photo, Jim.  This is the first I've heard of the (H)Armin Zoerner company.  A few references on line (mugwumps, etc.) and something front the Music Trade Review here:

Zoerner

The article mentions they manufactures of mandolins but I can't remember having seen anything with their label.  I'm away from home but will check when back.

and a Zoerner guitar here:

Zoerner Guitar

Mick

----------


## Jim Garber

I have nothing on Zoerner either in my files for any instruments. That mandolin in the photo looks to me like many Weymann bowlbacks of the period with the front mounted tuners and that particularly shaped pickguard. I wonder if Zoerner and Weymann were connected -- Zoerner made instruments for Weymann or vice versa.

----------


## Mandoviol

> Okay... here are a few larger detail shots.


What's the bar for that goes over the bass?  Hand-rest?

----------


## brunello97

> I have nothing on Zoerner either in my files for any instruments. That mandolin in the photo looks to me like many Weymann bowlbacks of the period with the front mounted tuners and that particularly shaped pickguard. I wonder if Zoerner and Weymann were connected -- Zoerner made instruments for Weymann or vice versa.


I had a Weymann bowl for awhile with the same tuners and 'Rorschach' pick guard. I don't recall it having the same detailed inlay fret markers but it might have.  It was a nice instrument.  I sold it to a guy in Switzerland, which I have sometimes wondered about.

Mick

----------


## Jim Garber

> What's the bar for that goes over the bass?  Hand-rest?


I assume you mean this shot of the mandobass? That was the standard "elevated armrest" that came with the Style J. Photo attached from 1917 Gibson catalog

----------


## Tavy

> Here's one I recently acquired. There are names indicated and New York City photographer but that is all I know. Not a Gibson to be found here tho. Some interesting bowlbacks and guitars, tho. I esp like the dark top one on the left and the Howe-Orme mandolinetto.


Jim do you know what the dark-faced one is - looks rather nice?

----------


## Jim Garber

John: I haven't a clue. Looks rather high end, tho. Headstock is unusual. Maybe it is not American-made tho, possibly Italian.

----------


## Tavy

> John: I haven't a clue. Looks rather high end, tho. Headstock is unusual. Maybe it is not American-made tho, possibly Italian.


Well if you don't know....  :Wink: 

I was thinking about this last night, and while it looks really cool in b&w, I'm having a hard time imagining a good look in color somehow...

----------


## Jim Garber

I have a few bowlbacks with dark top finish -- one is a Stridente, I believe.

----------


## Tavy

> I have a few bowlbacks with dark top finish -- one is a Stridente, I believe.


Pictures?

Thanks, John.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here are a couple from my files. It is sort of difficult to tell whether they are just dark from age or stained dark. Both are Stridentes, neither of them are mine.

----------


## brunello97

> Well if you don't know.... 
> 
> I was thinking about this last night, and while it looks really cool in b&w, I'm having a hard time imagining a good look in color somehow...


Kind of rare to see Italian bowls with squared-off fingerboards, rather than with an extension of some kind or cut to follow the oval of the sound hole.  I went looking in my files but kind of pooped out.  Maybe y'all have some examples? (Sorry to be so lazy…)

Mick

----------


## Jim Garber

It is possible that the fellow in the photo with the darktop mandolin had a new fretboard added.

----------


## Tavy

> Here are a couple from my files. It is sort of difficult to tell whether they are just dark from age or stained dark. Both are Stridentes, neither of them are mine.


Not sure, but those look like dark-with-muck-of-ages rather than stained dark?

----------


## brunello97

> Not sure, but those look like dark-with-muck-of-ages rather than stained dark?


Sounds like my mother, who never acknowledged a summer sun-tan.  "That's ground-in dirt."  Usually she was right.

Mick

----------


## brunello97

> It is possible that the fellow in the photo with the darktop mandolin had a new fretboard added.


One of the Riccas I had, Jim, had a gorgeous dark-pumpkin colored top, a half-shade darker than Gibsons of the era. Also a heavy MOP band around the top like this.  The headstock on this one doesn't look like any Ricca I have seen though. Nothing makes me think this is from LR, though.

Mick

----------


## Jim Garber

Yeah, Mick. Ricca did not occur to me either. Maybe a small custom shop of the period.

----------


## brunello97

The orchestra is from Camden, NJ.  That's near Philadelphia isn't it?  Wouldn't it be something if this was a Martucci?

Mick

----------


## wwwilkie

I couldn't find this one on here anywhere but maybe it's already been posted.  
I picked it up a few years back and it was paired with a great oversized photo of a mandolin orchestra (which I'm trying to locate).  Anyone know anything about this?  It would seem to be a poster that was used to advertise shows.

----------


## hank

Loyd appears to be playing with an F4 with an F5 behind him.

----------


## wwwilkie

I got this one when I had my shop in Britain.  There were several old timers in my neighborhood who remembered him well.  I'll include a link to a video.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/tr...s-mandoliers-1

----------


## Jim Garber

Wyatt: There was a thread that Martin Jonas of Liverpool started about acquiring a bunch of original arrangements from Troise and his Mandoliers.

----------


## wwwilkie

Wow, what an incredible thread!  Thanks for the link Jim.

----------


## Arnt

Came across this local treasure trove of vintage mandolin pictures.  Its part of the "Digital Museum" program from various museums in this country, they have a section of pictures called "Mandolinen i Mitt Hjerte" (_The Mandolin in My Heart_).  The site is only in Norwegian I'm afraid, but the pictures are the most interesting part anyways.  

http://www.digitaltmuseum.no/folder/32

Here are a couple of examples

----------

brunello97, 

Geordie, 

Jim Garber, 

Rob Beck

----------


## Rob Beck

Hi Arnt, 

I love the second one with the four girls with the bowl back mandolins, you don't often seem to see people smiling in older photos, but it really brings the picture to life - no need for an English translation there!

Rob

----------


## Ron McMillan

> Hi Arnt, 
> 
> I love the second one with the four girls with the bowl back mandolins, you don't often seem to see people smiling in older photos, but it really brings the picture to life - no need for an English translation there!


Good observation Rob. The reason why people often looked very stiff and stern and unemotional in old photographs was that they required very long shutter speeds, so the subjects were well warned of the need to sit totally still for one or two or even more seconds. 

The lovely photographs of the girls looks like it was shot in a situation either with a lot of light, or with artificial strobe lighting that would have frozen the image, allowing them to pose naturally.

ron

----------

Rob Beck

----------


## Jim Garber

Nice site with some wonderful pics. I like this one with the reverse scroll mandolin and the early picture of Caspar the Friendly Ghost as a toddler  :Smile:

----------


## Tavy

> Nice site with some wonderful pics. I like this one with the reverse scroll mandolin and the early picture of Caspar the Friendly Ghost as a toddler


Great example of long-shutter-speed misery there - the guy with the smurf-head mando looks like he's just sat on a spike!

----------


## Jim Garber

Actually the baby being held by his mom on the right is also blurry of face.

----------


## brunello97

> Actually the baby being held by his mom on the right is also blurry of face.


I guess they're too young to know what 'cheese' is. (Sagen sie käse is the best I can do.)  Kind of scary to think that all those Norwegians really are smiling for the photo.  :Wink: 

I love the photo of the mando-fisarmonica duo.  Right after mine own hjerte.

Mick

----------


## mandoisland

I have extracted pictures of mandolin clubs form the Colorado College Yearbooks - you can find this in my tumblr:
http://mandoisland.tumblr.com/archive
Just click to the pictures of mandolin ensembles to get the complete post with additional pictures and the linkt to the source at archive.org.

----------


## Gregory Tidwell

> I have extracted pictures of mandolin clubs form the Colorado College Yearbooks - you can find this in my tumblr:
> http://mandoisland.tumblr.com/archive
> Just click to the pictures of mandolin ensembles to get the complete post with additional pictures and the linkt to the source at archive.org.


I think that's a great page, Michael, but my iPad hates it.

----------


## mandoisland

> I think that's a great page, Michael, but my iPad hates it.


You can try the main tumblr page:
http://mandoisland.tumblr.com/

Maybe this works better on the iPad.

----------


## JeffD

> Good observation Rob. The reason why people often looked very stiff and stern and unemotional in old photographs was that they required very long shutter speeds, so the subjects were well warned of the need to sit totally still for one or two or even more seconds.


There is another contributing factor: that dentistry was not what it is today.

----------


## JeffD

We are living in exciting times, with all these old time pictures. So many universities and museums are digitizing their collections and making them available on line. All this wonderful stuff is being released that you once had to rummage through dusty archives to see. Future generations are going to take it for granted that all of this is avialable at the touch of a mouse.

----------


## dustyamps

Looks to be a Gibson A-2 in the photo.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here is a proud young mando with his Washburn Model 1125. The mandolin would have been around 1900.

----------


## Jim Garber

Looks like a dad and daughter. She is playing (I think) a carved top reverse scroll Regal/B&D and his guitar looks like an archtop May Bell.

----------


## billhay4

Her's looks brand new.
Bill

----------


## Jim Garber

I just received this amazing mandolin-guitar orchestra photo. Unfortunately it is in pretty lousy condition but rather than retouch the crack and all the other problems I just enhanced the color and contrast.

Most if not all the instruments look Italian to me. There seem to be a few Calace (model 13s?) mandolins. On the left is a mandocello and a liuto (5-course mandocello with an extra-low course) and on the right either a mandocello or a mandolone. I am not sure but my guess would be that they were made by Monzino. I love the oddball jester's cap headstock on the large instrument on the right.

It is also interesting that there are what look like two mandoliola (mandola tuned CGDA). In Europe most orchestras usually use the longer scale mandolas tuned one octave below the mandolin. It is possible that these are Italian immigrants in the US, who all bought Italian instruments possibly sold to them by the conductor/director/teacher in the middle front row.

----------

delsbrother, 

hank

----------


## hank

These photos make me want to wax and curl my moustache like Snidely Whiplash.  Thanks for these windows into the past. My wife still knows from the old aroma when I open the case of our 1913 blacktop A4 Boo.

----------


## Tavy

Great photo Jim!

Like Hank I love those mustaches, not to mention the young ones at the front whose legs don't even touch the floor yet  :Smile: 

There's some seriously large bowls in there too - most impressive!

----------


## Jim Garber

I wish it was in better shape but then i would have had to pay a lot more. We can see just enough detail in it.

----------


## Graham McDonald

> I just received this amazing mandolin-guitar orchestra photo. Unfortunately it is in pretty lousy condition but rather than retouch the crack and all the other problems I just enhanced the color and contrast.
> 
> Most if not all the instruments look Italian to me. There seem to be a few Calace (model 13s?) mandolins. On the left is a mandocello and a liuto (5-course mandocello with an extra-low course) and on the right either a mandocello or a mandolone. I am not sure but my guess would be that they were made by Monzino. I love the oddball jester's cap headstock on the large instrument on the right.
> 
> It is also interesting that there are what look like two mandoliola (mandola tuned CGDA). In Europe most orchestras usually use the longer scale mandolas tuned one octave below the mandolin. It is possible that these are Italian immigrants in the US, who all bought Italian instruments possibly sold to them by the conductor/director/teacher in the middle front row.


Great photo. The big instruments certainly don't look Neapolitan and I have never come across anything like the big thing on the right. That has to close to a 30" scale! Any idea of where the group is from?

g

----------


## Jim Garber

> Great photo. The big instruments certainly don't look Neapolitan and I have never come across anything like the big thing on the right. That has to close to a 30" scale! Any idea of where the group is from?


Monzino is the closest I can guess (and that may not be all that close) -- I was basing it on the wild scratchplate shapes. OTOH it ism possible that these are flatback and not bowls. I just assumed that there was some sort of Italian connection since some of the mandolins looks like Calaces.

I welcome any of your guesses here, Graham.

There is some writing on the back but it is all but obliterated and unreadable.

----------


## Jim Garber

Here are a few other mandolones. Not sure of the makers on the first but the second is a Gelas made by Louis Patenotte and the third made in Japan by Noguchi.

From *Gregg Miner's Mozzani page* in his blog:




> The Mozzani plectrum orchestra family consists of:
> 
>     Ottavino  scale (Diapason): 183mm, tuning: E6, A5, D5, G4 (like mandolin, but 1 octave higher)
>     Quartino  scale: 275mm, tuning: A5, D5, G4, C4
>     Mandolino  scale: 332mm, tuning: E5, A4, D4, G3
>     Contralto Mandola (soprano mandola)  scale: 394mm, tuning A4, D4, G3, C3 (this equates to our tenor mandola)
>     Tenore Mandola  scale: 440mm, tuning E4, A3, D3, G2 (this equates to our octave mandolaconfusing, isnt it?)
>     Mandoloncello  scale: 610mm, tuning A3, D3, G2, C2 or B1 (as our mandocello, with the low string variable)
>     Basso  scale: 734mm, tuning C3, G2, D2, A1 or E3, A2, D2, G1 (?)
> ...

----------


## Tavy

Jim that blog post is great - harp guitars and mandolins galore, plus how about that "one octave higher than a mandolin" instrument - that must take some playing!

----------


## Jim Garber

Ah, John, I can see it now... you are thinking of building an ottavino mandolin. Pretty strange with a ~7 inch scale. I guess it would be the same as a capo on the 12th fret of a standard mandolin.

----------


## Jim Garber

Yet another interesting photo -- the best part of this one is that the violinist seems to have combed his hair to resemble the headstock of the mandolin. it would have been fun if the guitarists hairdo matched the violin scroll.  :Smile:

----------

hank

----------


## brunello97

Maybe he's having a 'bad mandolin' day.

Mick

----------

Charles E.

----------


## Jim Garber

This one is prob more interesting because of the zither in it rather than the mandolin. I was able to find an image that matched on *Gregg Miner's page* which he termed a harp-zither.

----------


## hank

Post 286. Must be the Pomade.

"Everett: Hold on, now. I don't want this pomade. I want Dapper Dan.
Clerk: I don't carry Dapper Dan. I carry Fop.
Everett: Well, I don't want Fop, #%%%. I'm a Dapper Dan man.
Clerk: You watch your language, young fella. This is a public market. If you want Dapper Dan, I can order it for you, have it in about two weeks.
Everett: Well ain't this place a geographical oddity! Two weeks from everywhere! Forget it! [slams money on the counter] I'll have a dozen hair nets."

----------


## bluesmandolinman

Home of a moonshiner ?  :Wink:

----------

hank, 

Jim Garber

----------


## Kerry Krishna

Here is something from the Shlomo Pestcoe collection . I take these old photos to my light table and spend about 12 hour apiece on them ....

----------

hank, 

Jim Garber

----------


## Kerry Krishna

https://www.facebook.com/kerry.krish...7037346&type=1And here is the Facebook thread on how all of it is done...

----------

hank

----------


## Jim Garber

All-women, all-Gibson mandolin quintet. The woman in the front middle looks either bored or sleepy or else she just got tired of sitting still for the long exposure.

----------

hank

----------


## billkilpatrick

> All-women, all-Gibson mandolin quintet. The woman in the front middle looks either bored or sleepy or else she just got tired of sitting still for the long exposure.


... could be she she'd been bopped in the head too many times with that mandocello.

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## Randi Gormley

They got her mid-blink, I'm thinking. I want one of them dresses, myself.

----------


## hank

They sure look happy to be there.

----------


## Jim Garber

This is why I love these old photos...I always wonder what was going thru their minds, what was going on in the room, what the relationship was between these women, etc. After all, these were people and musicians of close to 100 years ago.

----------


## hank

Each of them are holding their instrument in a way to show the Gibson on the headstock.  This may be some early marketing attempts by a Gibson teacher/distributor to capitalize on the appeal and attention given to the fairer sex.

----------


## Jim Garber

The mandolin was very popular at the turn of the last century for the "fashionable girl":


I found that newspaper article in an old tune book. I love the reference to "Vellacia."

BTW I was approached by an editor for a woman's guitar magazine called *She Shreds* and they are using a couple of my photos in an article in the current issue which includes "never-before-seen photographs of all-woman mandolin ensembles of the 20th century". I did not receive my copy as yet.

----------

billkilpatrick

----------


## Tobin

> Each of them are holding their instrument in a way to show the Gibson on the headstock.  This may be some early marketing attempts by a Gibson teacher/distributor to capitalize on the appeal and attention given to the fairer sex.


Actually, quite the opposite.  They are holding their mandolins the way mandolins are supposed to be held.  The Gibson logo on the headstock was probably originally put at that angle so it would be horizontal when held properly.

----------


## hank

Ha, ha, Doleful to say the least.  Thank Jim, for not only many windows into the past but also a bit of the mind set back then.  I guess some things never change.

----------


## mrmando

> Home of a moonshiner ?


Mama just wants to barrelhouse all night long...

----------


## hank

Tobin's quote"Actually, quite the opposite. They are holding their mandolins the way mandolins are supposed to be held. The Gibson logo on the headstock was probably originally put at that angle so it would be horizontal when held properly."  

Are you commenting on the second row as well?

----------


## mrmando

whoops...

----------


## mrmando

> ... could be she she'd been bopped in the head too many times with that mandocello.


Maybe just enraptured by the solo she's playing... 

Whaddaya think, late teens? Sleepy Gal's mandolin looks like a Sheraton brown A2. I don't see any truss rod covers. Looks like an A4 and an H2 in the back, another H2 on the right, plus the K1 mandocello. 

It does seem as though the two in the back are trying to get their headstocks where the camera can pick them up, rather than maintaining the correct playing position.

----------


## hank

Maybe a faint looking Fleur de lis or some sort of inlay on the back right instrument?

----------


## brunello97

> Whaddaya think, late teens? ....


I was going to guess a decade earlier. We could use someone on board who knows fashion (and shoes) from this era to help with IDs like this.  Those dresses don't look post WWI to me, but they could be from a sartorially less-up-to-date part of the country, despite their _very_ modern instruments. 

Mick

----------


## billkilpatrick

jim - do you have the original photo?  if so, is there a photographer's stamp or whatever on the back?  the horse-faced lady in the front row, on the far right of the photo looks just like my maternal grandmother, who lived in southern ohio.

----------


## Pasha Alden

Very interesting.  Naturally my husband has to describe the pictures to me but it is interesting.  I would not hazard a guess though.  
A query though: are some of these pictures with a copyright?  It is just that we have a hobbies fair every year in Grahamstown and I would love to use some of these pictures as part of my mandolin exhibition for my table.  Naturally not passing these off as my own.

Any advice?

----------


## Jim Garber

> Maybe a faint looking Fleur de lis or some sort of inlay on the back right instrument?


All the mandolins except for the middle front one have fleurs-de-lis on the headstocks.




> I was going to guess a decade earlier. We could use someone on board who knows fashion (and shoes) from this era to help with IDs like this.  Those dresses don't look post WWI to me, but they could be from a sartorially less-up-to-date part of the country, despite their _very_ modern instruments.


Decade earlier, like 1908? I would say maybe 1912-1915 for the mandolins.




> jim - do you have the original photo?  if so, is there a photographer's stamp or whatever on the back?  the horse-faced lady in the front row, on the far right of the photo looks just like my maternal grandmother, who lived in southern ohio.


I do own the photo, recently acquired, but there are no markings anywhere on the mounting or back.




> A query though: are some of these pictures with a copyright?  It is just that we have a hobbies fair every year in Grahamstown and I would love to use some of these pictures as part of my mandolin exhibition for my table.  Naturally not passing these off as my own.


I generally only post photos that I own unless I credit the source otherwise. Let me know if you want to use any of mine and I can send you a higher resolution version than appears here, if you like.

----------

billkilpatrick, 

hank

----------


## brunello97

> Decade earlier, like 1908?


Mas o menos, (apparently less) but I'm guessing from the clothing not the mandolins.  :Smile:  I'm sure I can't distinguish between a 1908 and a 1912 Gibson. It would be great to learn just what those comps would be. 

It dawned on me this morning, though,  that perhaps the women were dressing up in older style clothes for the purpose of the photo? The decor, paintings, bamboo screen all look pretty vintage for 1915.  The mandos would clearly date it though.  They were the high tech implements here.

For some reason I had the impression that in the '10s women's fashions were opening and starting reflect a bit more cosmopolitan influence in advance of the '20s. (Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau, etc.)  Who knows, however, where this photo was taken and how _modern_ these women were in their fashion sense (as opposed to their mandolin choices.) That headband does look pretty radical. I'm really stabbing in the dark on this, I know.

'10s Women's Fashions

Mick

----------

hank

----------


## stevenmando

Great photos but did you know that in 100 to 200 years from now there are going to be photos of us with our mandolins saying mandolin players from the golden age of mandolin music so smile

----------

hank

----------


## bmac

> This is why I love these old photos...I always wonder what was going thru their minds, what was going on in the room, what the relationship was between these women, etc. After all, these were people and musicians of close to 100 years ago.


Of course these photos were taken in blinding natural light usually coming through huge sky lights with long poses lasting as long as a minute in some cases... Thus the extremely rigid poses.  I suspect that going through most of their minds was "When is this going to stop???"

I used to rent an old photographers studio on the top of an old (1890s) nine story building... The skylight was roughly 25 ft wide and about 25 ft high rising to the peak of the roof. The shades to control light were long ago rotted away so during the daytime the light (even on a cloudy day) was overwhelming. in the sunshine it was unbearable. I could only use it at night but at night it looked and felt like Dr. Frankensteins workshop... During a lightening storm lightening was striking the metal roof only a few feet away because it was the highest building in the area.... I have never again experienced such noise and sheer terror.

----------


## Backlineman

The Gibson related Mandolin Orchestra's of the teens and twenties were an important part of the Gibson sales and marketing channel, and I also have a theory that target marketing to women both young and old was also a big part of the strategy. I have yet to come across any solid documentation directly from any Gibson materials, but the similarities across hundreds of these Gibson group photos point to some sort of Gibson guidelines or standards recommended when taking these photos. I'm quite sure this photo was taken in accordance with Gibson sales or marketing guide lines or standards, and was intended for publication in a Gibson catalog.  Almost without exception, the women pictured in hundreds of these catalog photos I've reviewed are 1) wearing white, if not head to toe, certainly the tops, 2) always fretting some sort of cord, and 3) positioned so that most of the instrument and certainly head stock is visible. This one has all the characteristics of a Gibson Catalog photo, which may or may not have been published. I'll look and see if these ladies show up any of the teens or twenties catalogs, and if so they will, as always, be identified with a group name, and a location.

----------


## mrmando

> Decade earlier, like 1908? I would say maybe 1912-1915 for the mandolins.


OK, I took a closer look at the quintet photo. That's not an H2 on the right front, it's an A4. Same goes for the one in the rear left. Probably both blacktop. 

Until 1914, A4s did not have fretboard extensions. And since both of these A4s have fretboard extensions, we can confidently say that the photo cannot have been taken earlier than 1914. 

My earlier guess of late teens was based on my belief that the A2 in the center was Sheraton brown, a color not used before 1918. But given the lighting, I can't be sure of that. It could be a pumpkin top. 

If the instruments were all new when the photo was taken, it would HAVE to be 1914, because the A2 was out of production from then until 1918, when it came back in Sheraton brown.

----------

Jim Garber

----------


## Jim Garber

Interesting calculations, Martin. Makes sense to me. Did the mandolas always have the extensions?

----------


## mrmando

Great question. The two earliest mandolas with photos in the Archive do not appear to have extensions. 7790 is the third mandola pictured, and it does have an extension. 

I still think that might be an H2 mandola in back on the right in your photo.

----------


## Jim Garber

Yeah, I wish those ladies in the front were a little shorter so we could see more detail. Hard to judge the sizes, too, since optics of lenses might have distorted sizes in the back.

----------


## mrmando

I dunno ... you can compare the nut-to-12th-fret distance on both instruments in the back and they look the same to me, so maybe those are both A4s after all.

----------


## Jim Garber

Interesting... 4 mandolins and one mandocello... I wonder what music they played?

----------


## hank

Charles Dana Gibson's stylized Nouveau Gibson Girl series seems to blend well with Gibson Mandolin marketing strategy which was only a reflection of popular culture of the Era. 
  Spann's shipping dates bump that back a bit further to 1913 for the mini Florida to show up.  My A4 with m.florida s/n 20532 was traditionally dated as 1915 but was moved back to a 1913 shipping date. #14307 A4 trad. 1913 Spann 1911 no Florida.  #17513 A4 trad.1914 Spann 1912 no Florida. #20162 and #20519 both A4 trad. 1915 Spann 1913 both have mini Florida.

----------


## Jim Garber

I have had this one for some time. I am not sure why I never posted it on this thread.

----------

hank

----------


## Jim Garber

I got this one a few weeks ago but was could not scan it since it is framed behind glass. So I took a photo but i is very hard to avoid the glare. This is the best I could do without taking the whole thing apart which i may do someday. Nice All-Gibson orchestra -- looks like most of the instruments were from the teens or early 1920s. I have no info on where this ensemble was based -- I might find out when I take it out of the frame.

----------

hank

----------


## Jim Garber

A few more to add to this thread. Here's a multi-instrumentalist guy with an intense look about him.

----------

hank, 

JEStanek

----------


## Jim Garber

I love this little snapshot of these three kids with the cigarbox fiddle, flute and mandolin.

----------

brunello97, 

hank, 

JEStanek

----------


## Jim Garber

Lastly this mostly Gibson (at least the guitars and mandolins) orchestra. Hard to tell what the banjos are -- they are not exactly in focus in the back. Possibly some Vegas.

I wonder how that sole bowlback player feels about not playing a Gibson like everyone else.

----------

hank

----------


## Tavy

> Lastly this mostly Gibson (at least the guitars and mandolins) orchestra. Hard to tell what the banjos are -- they are not exactly in focus in the back. Possibly some Vegas.
> 
> I wonder how that sole bowlback player feels about not playing a Gibson like everyone else.


Left out I bet - what's the betting she's playing a hand-me-down from her parents after they upgraded to Gibsons?

----------


## brunello97

> I wonder how that sole bowlback player feels about not playing a Gibson like everyone else.


Maybe she's feeling smug and self satisfied that she isn't playing one of those 'slabs of timber' (or whatever bowlback die hards were referring to Gibson mandolins as.)  She's playing a bowlback because it has _the traditional, more appropriate sound_  for the classical music the orchestra is playing.  She's saving for an Embergher.  :Wink: 

Mick

----------


## Bertram Henze

> I wonder how that sole bowlback player feels about not playing a Gibson like everyone else.


I hope she knew about Hans Christian Andersen...

----------


## peterk

A street/village singer/mandolin player with his appreciative audience, probably in Europe, I'd guess in the very early 1900s.

----------

hank

----------


## peterk

Young ladies used to like playing the mandolin, and they also loved getting those obligatory photos with the mandolin.

----------

hank

----------


## Tavy

> A street/village singer/mandolin player with his appreciative audience, probably in Europe, I'd guess in the very early 1900s.


I'm glad we don't have to dress up like that any more!

----------


## Jake Wildwood

Forget the mando -- that fence is great!

----------


## peterk

OK, on that picture of mine, you see an elderly grey bearded gent. What does he seem to hold in his left hand ? :Grin: 
Now, can you spot anyone talking on their cell phone ? :Laughing:

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Now, can you spot anyone talking on their cell phone ?


The man with the bowler on the far right is clearly about to place a bluetooth headset in his ear...

----------


## peterk

Right on, Bertram......our 21st century vision/perception is tainted by the current technological gadgetry.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> our 21st century vision/perception is tainted by the current technological gadgetry.


Talking about gadgetry - does the player have a Shubb capo on his mandolin, 2nd fret?  :Disbelief:

----------


## Tavy

> Talking about gadgetry - does the player have a Shubb capo on his mandolin, 2nd fret?


Looks like it, and the mandolin is flat top and back (not canted top or typically Italian).

He also appears to have no pick in his fingers - if you look his thumb is away from the other fingers.

Staged photo????    :Mandosmiley:

----------


## Jim Garber

I like the richness of this image and the central parts of all the hairstyles. The only marking is "Fort Wayne, Indiana" written on the back of the board in pencil, but I am not sure if that writing is recent. The board itself doesn't look all that old.

What chord or notes is the mustached guy playing?

----------


## Bertram Henze

> What chord or notes is the mustached guy playing?


It's a setup - the mustached guy is Tim Hart of Steeleye Span  :Whistling:

----------


## Jim Garber

Thanks, Bertram... you may be right?

----------


## delsbrother

That chair is outrageous!

----------


## Jim Garber

Hah! I didn't even notice the chair.

----------


## sgrexa

Just stumbled upon this on Ebay.  75 years young and rocking the cello with no strap!?

----------


## Jim Garber

Very cool, Sean!

----------


## Bill Snyder

This thread is about to celebrate its tenth birthday (or would it be anniversary?).

----------


## Jim Garber

We should take a picture of all who contributed and check it out about 100 years from now.

----------


## Bill Snyder

Jim you can stick around and check it out in 100 years but I plan on being long gone from here by then.  :Smile:

----------


## Jim Garber

Nah, I will prob be with you in that nice warm place, playing hot mandolin licks. :Smile:

----------


## peterk

(1) Hamburg, Germany, cc 1917
(2) Italian army officers at play, cc 1890
(3) Town mandolin band, Italy, 1920s or 1930s.
(4) Family reunion photo with three musicians, Lucca, Italy, cc 1920
(5) Germany, cc 1915
(6) Germany, cc 1935
(7) Germany, cc 1920

----------


## peterk

Somewhere in Europe in 1930s, I guess. A happy mandolinist surrounded by happy friends/family.

----------


## peterk

In the photo below, Guiseppe Branzoli (1835-1909,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Branzoli) is shown seated, and he holds an old mandolone/lute possibly converted to a guitar.
The photo was taken in Rome in 1889 on occasion of an important concert given by players who used antique instruments for that performance. 
Branzoli was a noted mandolin pedagogue, and he authored a mandolin method book.

----------


## peterk

Germany in 1930s. Perhaps an office party or some sorta club get together/celebration ?

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Germany in 1930s. Perhaps an office party or some sorta club get together/celebration ?


Looks like some photographer was hired for a combined mandolin orchestra/choir performance. The instruments are motley crew - a guitar and a waldzither in the second row, a banjo in the first. I guess the people played whatever was available - this was an economically difficult and chaotic time, on the eve of utter darkness.

----------


## dustyamps

Gibson ad in Dec 1921 Popular Science Monthly

----------


## Backlineman

Is a photo from 1963 an Antique photo?
While visiting my parents recently I came across this photo taken by my mom in maybe 1963? Me at around 2 years old "rocking out" to my dad playing my great grandfather's 1914 F4.  My dad is now 83 years young, and still plays mandolin quite a bit with several groups. As for the 1914 F-4, I've been playing and taking care of it for the last 5 years or so.

----------

billhay4, 

jesserules

----------


## Jim Garber

Great photo, Backlineman! I love the rocking horse, the cowboy outfit and the TV. I wonder if your dad was playing some Sons of the Pioneers tune. I also like your blog -- fantastic that you have such a vital familial connection to a mandolin orchestra. I look fwd to reading more on your blog.

----------


## mrmando

Here's one currently up on eBay. What a killer torch & wire F4. Dated Christmas 1913; maybe Santa gave him the mandolin?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1913-Mandoli...item1c408b2c83

----------


## DavidKOS

> Lastly this mostly Gibson (at least the guitars and mandolins) orchestra. Hard to tell what the banjos are -- they are not exactly in focus in the back. Possibly some Vegas.
> 
> I wonder how that sole bowlback player feels about not playing a Gibson like everyone else.





> Maybe she's feeling smug and self satisfied that she isn't playing one of those 'slabs of timber' (or whatever bowlback die hards were referring to Gibson mandolins as.)  She's playing a bowlback because it has _the traditional, more appropriate sound_  for the classical music the orchestra is playing.  She's saving for an Embergher. 
> 
> Mick


Old thread, just found it...love that bit of interchange.

Great pictures on the whole thread.

----------


## Markob

http://s645.photobucket.com/user/eiw..._1264.jpg.html

Doughboy Power Trio.

 Can't really see the Mandolin very well. My grandfather Knox Owen is on the right with the guitar and stogie. Somewhere in France 1918.

----------


## JEStanek

Markrob, I tried to tidy this up a bit....

Jamie

----------

billkilpatrick

----------


## Markob

Thank you Jamie! I'm such a rookie. Didn't realize I'd throw my whole photobucket album on the post.

----------


## Angrywidower

Neat. As a bassist-guitarist,playing the mandolin is fun.I am used to eadg tuning so having the mandolin being gdae is fun for me. A delight is too weak a word for playing the mandolin. Wonderful or awesome is more appropriate.Be blessed and have a beautiful holidays all.

----------


## rubydubyr

> Gibson ad in Dec 1921 Popular Science Monthly


$5/month pays for it, wonder how many months and what the downpayment was....

----------

