What manner of beast is this?

**Scot63** · Nov-03-2016, 1:08pm

I think this is rather adorable and thought, at first, that it was a six-course mandolin with what might be a regrettably short scale. And it might be, but look how that nut is cut, in pics 1 and 3: it looks like the middle strings might be triple courses, like a tiple. Any ideas? Also, I sure hope those bolts are keeping the neck on . . . http://www.ebay.com/itm/302124217678...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

**Tavy** · Nov-03-2016, 1:39pm

It's a 12 string mandolin - 4 courses of 3, tuned GDAE.

Here's one I restored earlier:

BTW I wouldn't touch that one with those wood screws - IMO no screw like that will withstand the pull of 12 strings.

**Jim Garber** · Nov-03-2016, 1:54pm

Yes, it is also missing the bridge saddle. Those screws holding the neck on are probably not original. That could corroborate what John says above. With 12 strings the neck probably separated at some time in the past.

BTW O. Pagani was a music store and publisher and probably had this mandolin made under their label but one of the Greenwich Village, New York luthiers possibly Raphael Ciani.

**Scot63** · Nov-03-2016, 1:59pm

Thank you, Gentlemen!

**brunello97** · Nov-03-2016, 6:19pm

Nice looking mandolin, Scot. I think Jim's suggestion is about as close as we might come to id-ing this.

The front side resembles many a nice Bruno labeled mandolin, which iiic came out of the Oscar Schmidt works who had various in-house and out-sourced connections with Ciani and other quasi-independent Italian American luthiers. Could this be called a "Ciani"?
No doubt after this discussion somebody might, but that would be muy muy sketchioso.

Our good friend, Sheri Mignano, is patiently, lovingly and relentlessly compiling a library of old sheet music from the early 20th from publishers such as O. Pagani. Her thread with this invaluable material is a fabulous resource.

Mick