Since no one else has said anything, I'll contribute what little I can, which is that I believe the instrument was built in southern Europe. Italy would be my first guess.
It indeed appears to be an instrument of high quality.
The style of the build is DeMeglio especially from the scratch plate shape. However the neck construction is not like DeMeglio or other of those made in Napoli. The multiply neck construction is characteristic of Anastasios Stathopoulo, the founder of Epiphone and the ornamentation especially the top border is reminiscent of this maker. Also AS used that same shape scratch plate on some of his mandolins, baglams and bouzoukis.
It is late and my computer files are not available but I will check tomorrow for similar examples. I am not 100% sure but it is possible.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Bad news is that someone's apparently glued the bridge in place. Ain't supposed to happen; mandolins generally have "floating" bridges held on by string tension.
Of course, I'm extrapolating from the fact that the instrument's posed vertically in the two frontal shots. From the other pics, seems that might be only the camera's orientation, not the mandolin's, and the bridge is only set on the top. If that's the case, disregard & carry on...
Very similar tuner cover plates on this American Conservatory (Lyon & Healy) mandolin sold by Greg Boyd. Additional evidence of likely US manufacture.
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
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Allen, I think you may be mistaken about the bridge being glued, I think it’s simply resting on that top. The mandolin is not hanging as one might assume but lying on its back top facing up. I may be mistaken but, that’s what I see..
I’d thought the same in the beginning.
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
Bookmarks