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Thread: Looking for information on an old mandolin

  1. #1

    Default Looking for information on an old mandolin

    I just bought this old mandolin on eBay. It was inexpensive and unique looking, and I'm a big sucker for that. It was listed as a tambura, which it is not. Looking around online, it does have some similarities to a Lombardic mandolin, except it has 8 strings instead of 6. The closest thing I could find was a picture of a similar mandolin on a page of German mandolins, except that one had a traditional raised bridge, where the one I bought has a pin style bridge. Would be super interested if anyone has any information on an instrument like this one! Thanks!

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Looking for information on an old mandolin

    What’s the scale length? Looks a bit long for a mandolin but impossible to tell from a photograph.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Looking for information on an old mandolin

    It looks like a product of Meinel & Herold although this example below is a guitar lute:

    https://en.todocoleccion.net/musical...rold~x17376983

  4. #4

    Default Re: Looking for information on an old mandolin

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...25-Shop-Window

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...nel-amp-Herold

    Earlier threads that do not offer conclusive proof but may be of interest and this old ad in the above shows something similar in some ways.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #5

    Default Re: Looking for information on an old mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    What’s the scale length? Looks a bit long for a mandolin but impossible to tell from a photograph.
    Won’t know until it comes in! I am also curious about the sizing of it. There’s a bunch of photos but nothing to reference size against. But it’s coming to me in NJ all the way from Bulgaria, so it’ll be a while coming.

  7. #6

    Default Re: Looking for information on an old mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by NickR View Post
    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...25-Shop-Window

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...nel-amp-Herold

    Earlier threads that do not offer conclusive proof but may be of interest and this old ad in the above shows something similar in some ways.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    This looks like a winner! Wow! I ran the advertisement through google translate, this was the information from the left hand side:

    “Musical instruments, speaking apparatus, lute mandolin Tuning like violin, 2 strings each E, A, D, G. Packing in box -.70, in carton G.-M. -50. The outer appearance resembles that of a small lute, only the instrument is strung and played like a mandolin. No. 907 Maple body, polished golden yellow, 15 parts, lightly polished top with fine sculptured sound hole, celluloid chip sound hole, celluloid chip edge, swan neck and with sette, cleanly worked, opened mechanism, recently a very popular instrument. Maple body, golden yellow po- 15 pieces, dark smoked and polished top with pa. soundhole sculpture, ff. carved ro and lute mandolins.”

    The right side, they’re calling a Piccolo Mandolin and tuning it CGDA.

    “ Biccolo mandolinR tuning a, d, g, c, 2 strings each. Packing in box G.-M. –50. The piccolo mandolin is smaller in construction than an ordinary belly mandolin. The scale has moved closer together. this mandolin like any ordinary belly mandolin, only it gives off a shorter, tingling sound. The piccolo mandolin is a popular choice for mandolin orchestras because of its sharp, excellent tone. No. 910 maple is played, 24 pieces, good concert instrument, simple jacaranda wooden playing plate, well polished, black rim with 7-fold edge chip inlay, chip inlay around the sound hole, open mechanism, la sleeve protector, very solidly built.”


    Thank you for this information! Very very helpful!

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  9. #7

    Default Re: Looking for information on an old mandolin

    I do own a Meinel & Herold mandolin- which was sold by the Milan firm of Monzino & Garlandi. It appeared that one of the directors had been sent to work in Saxony- and that partly explains why the company was sourcing instruments from there circa 1930. My mandolin is typically German in many ways and is very nicely built. I think it very likely that an instrument found in Bulgaria was made in Bohemia, Saxony or possibly Italy/Sicily but my money is on Saxony. Clearly the Google translate is better than my German- but not much better! I don't know if that is a trade ad- "packing in box etc" by the crate load! That's how instruments were shipped- in a box of wood wool as insulation from whatever and guaranteed to be covered in dust on arrival. One of my friends had to clean up Gretsch electric hollowbody guitars shipped that way 60 years ago- a major chore! This is my Meinel & Herold mandolin. I bought it for that amazing case- a real 1930s work of art and the mandolin is very nice, too!
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