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Thread: My fathers' Mandolin

  1. #1

    Default My fathers' Mandolin

    Hi Mandolin lovers & friends,

    I recently helped to clear out my Mum's attic. We found my dad's old mandolin up there. The mandolin itself is in excellent condition, having been in a case for most of its life.

    I was hoping someone help me to understand what this might be worth. It is a Raffaele Calace & Figlio, and the label seems to indicate it was made in 1956 (though it might be 1936, the writing on the label is quite difficult to make out). The neck and body is adorned with mother of pearl.

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    Thank you very much in advance!

    Alex

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  3. #2
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: My fathers' Mandolin

    Wonderful, Alex, thank you for posting.

    That's a beautiful Calace and appears to be in great shape.

    Your Mom's attic must be a clean and dry location.

    My read is that is a "1936". I'm attaching a label from the same year from my files along with a view of the instrument which sadly has taken more abuse than yours.

    I also have a label from a 1957 Calace and you can see how differently the number "5" was being written then....and the different style of label in the '50s.


    I'm not the one to be putting $$ to things, but given the Calace instruments that turn up for sale in various internet locations, my guess given the fine condition it might well be in the $3K+ US range. Potentially significantly higher.

    Others here certainly have a better suggestion.


    Tell us more about its history if you know.

    And please include more detail photos if you can. We love these kinds of discoveries here.

    And that is a beautiful Calace.

    Fair play to you for getting up there into the attic!


    Mick
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  4. #3
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: My fathers' Mandolin

    Wow, great find! That's really pretty and pleasing to my eyes. I'm not a bowl back player and know little about them but it appears very high quality, love the inlay work.Enjoy it and keep it in you're family.

  5. #4

    Default Re: My fathers' Mandolin

    Hi Mick, William,

    Thanks both so much for coming back to me.

    I've just spoken with my Uncle. So the story of the mandolin goes back to my Grandad. He got married to his wife in 1936. They honeymooned in Italy and we think that must be when he purchased the mandolin. We're not entirely sure where he bought it, only that he purchased it new. So it's been in our family for its whole life.

    My grandad would play it sometimes (albeit not very well, if my Uncle is to be believed!). After he passed away in 1989, my father inherited the mandolin. My dad was definitely NOT a musical sorts. It has very rarely left its case in the time since then, maybe once every two years or so to ensure it was clean. When my dad sadly passed a few years ago it went into the attic, where it has lived ever since until today!

    I've attached a few more photos of it. I think having zoomed in you are quite right, it definitely looks more like 1936 than 1956.

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  7. #5
    Registered User BillyEllison's Avatar
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    Default Re: My fathers' Mandolin

    Wow! What a great back story! This is super cool, you are very lucky to have something like that handed down in your family. I hope you keep it and pass it down to your kids as well. Especially, now that you know the story behind it. I name my mandolins, you should name that one after your Grandmother.

  8. #6
    Registered User Tom C's Avatar
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    Default Re: My fathers' Mandolin

    Usually those bowl back finds are a dime a dozen. You have a real nice one.

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