Sadly, the top is cracked. I'm not sure where it was made in Europe- Germany, Bohemia or Italy in about 1930 I would guess. It looks to be a good quality instrument with that amazing decoration!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265229381...AAAOSwU95g7dOl
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Sadly, the top is cracked. I'm not sure where it was made in Europe- Germany, Bohemia or Italy in about 1930 I would guess. It looks to be a good quality instrument with that amazing decoration!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265229381...AAAOSwU95g7dOl
I tend to associate these exuberant picturesque scratchplates with Catanese mandolins, but this one doesn't seem Sicilian to me.
My hunch is that your Northern European posits are more on the soldi.
The bowl, neck, close grained top wood and headstock all feel that way to me.
"Feel that way"....there's a precise analysis! ;)
The scratchplate is awesome. So much detail.
I love the stylized MOTS 'water' beneath the boat and above the bridge.
Mick
Mick, I agree with the word "awesome" for that scratchplate! My order of nations is my opinion of the most likely makers although the sheer elan of the inlay and its design had me thinking Catania- but the mandolin itself has an overall Germanic feel to it. It's just such a shame it has those cracks but apart from that it appears to be in good order.
The description says the cracks have been repaired. Neat instrument in any case.
Yes, the cracks have been fixed but they take the edge off the instrument's appeal- but the seller tells us it sounds great and it may be a reasonable buy despite the cracks although it may fail to sell initially.
Zero fret and slotted headstock ought to tell me something, but I can't quite hear it . . .
They say "northern European, quite likely German" to me -- cf. Mick & Nick, Posts #2 & #3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob A
There's also something about that pickguard that reminds me of a few of the more graphic Greek mandolin pickguard decorations I've seen.