I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.
pocket mandolin?
It's so small there's only room for one course of strings.
The Loar LM 310f
Vangoa A Acoustic
I enjoy walking barefoot and playing my mandolin, and if I can do both at once, you'd be hard pressed to find a happier soul.
There are a fair number of similar instruments around; the ones I've seen have been German made, but I'd guess that others were made elsewhere in Europe. I own one marked "Holdrio Picolo (yes, spelled that way) Mandolin, Made In Germany, D.R.G.M. (a German "copyright" equivalent), W. V. Co. N. Y." Obviously labeled for export to the US; I haven't been able to ID what NYCity dealer was abbreviated "W. V. Co." Mine also has one of the fairly-common Marcelli-marked tailpieces; there's a current thread talking about these. Mine also is not quite a bowl-back; it has a three-piece "boat" back, like quite a few other German-made mandos.
Yours has a nicely carved soundhole insert -- partially broken, I'd guess -- and a crude "bridge" that's almost certainly not what it had originally. I have heard these instruments called "pocket" mandolins because of their small body size; despite the small body, mine has a 13-inch scale, not hugely different from "regular" mandolin scale, especially for bowl-backs, so not really set up to be tuned like a "soprano" or "piccolo" mandolin, CGDA a fourth above standard mandolin tuning. I'd check your scale length to see if it's really a "sopranolin," or just a regular mandolin with a small body.
Despite the damaged insert, yours seems in decent shape; I have mine tuned GDAE with the lightest strings I can find. You might want to have a more suitable bridge made for it -- or you could make one yourself. If yours is like mine, it has a tiny voice; I see mine as more of a collector's curiosity than a viable instrument. It helps that I found mine in a closet; I think that my great-aunt was given it by an older man she was a caregiver for, who played it in college back in the 1920's, and I ended up with it.
Good luck with yours!
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
It was a joke!!!
I wish there was something in the description about its dimensions. My German is not very good, but there's google translate, which tells me the description is practically useless. And yet it sold.
My favorite feature is the soundhole carving. I'm sure you liked that too, Jo, judging by the attention you give to this detail in your own builds.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
I have a Weber Sopranino Gallatin. I do play it a lot at home or in jams where particular friends are known to show up. It is great fun.
Actually I have the second one made, and Eva Holbrook has the first.
Check it out.
Awesome playing by Ms. Holbrook!
I have one of these, but it has a conventional scroll rather than the "hook" that the earliest ones had. Very fine little instrument.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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