Greek mandolin 1932 Bowlback,

[smur4@comcast.net]

My wife found this at an antique store. I cannot find anything on the maker, and the language inside is Greek to me (Pun intended). It's a bit dirty with old strings, but it plays wonderfully and I love the neck. The label is still great. Tuners and hardware could use help though. Any ideas on origin/value?

[NickR]

It may not have been made in Greece- it could well be Italian in origin. We cannot see all of the label but there is what appears to be the name of a music and instrument retailer at the bottom but I cannot see an address which may be elsewhere on the label. Maybe, someone else can add more regarding the features of the instrument itself.

[Richard500]

No ideas on origin, but looks perhaps less than a century old, based on very little ornamentation. In general, bowl backs are not valuable and are plentiful. Those tuners can have the buttons replaced fairly easily, if that’s the complaint. Search this site for threads about methods and sources. Many are thermoplastics that are are put on and taken off with heat, if that’s the only problem there. The one constant advice is to restring with the lightest strings you can get, as GHS A240. The last owner may have put thicker ones on, which will tend to cause neck failure. Looks good from here!

[brunello97]

Nothing to add viz the origin or date.

I wish our friend Victor K would drop in and translate the Greek for us.

It looks like the bridge is listing to the rear. Is it seated properly?

Mick

[smur4@comcast.net]

Thanks for the replies, it's pretty hard taking photos inside with a phone!

[smur4@comcast.net]

Thanks for the replies, it's pretty hard taking photos inside with a phone!

[Joe Bartl]

I'm not great at Greek, but it looks something like the luthier is (can't see all the letters) [K?]yprianou X. Euang[eliou?]. Then there is a bit I can't make out. And then we have what looks like a series of shops in Limassol in 1911, London in 1924, and Lefkosia in 1927. Apparently the date written is when the instrument as made, March 10, 1932. Following that: "Maker and repairer of various sting instruments". So it looks like this was made in Lefkosia, Cyprus in 1932 by Kyprianos X. (Evangelion?) (Evangelios?). I would not stake my life on any of this, but I think it is close.

[smur4@comcast.net]

Joe Bless you, you deciphered a lot more than I could, thanks Steve