Antique Photo of a Mandolin of the Day

[peterk]

Somewhere in Europe in 1930s, I guess. A happy mandolinist surrounded by happy friends/family.

[peterk]

In the photo below, Guiseppe Branzoli (1835-1909,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Branzoli) is shown seated, and he holds an old mandolone/lute possibly converted to a guitar.
The photo was taken in Rome in 1889 on occasion of an important concert given by players who used antique instruments for that performance.
Branzoli was a noted mandolin pedagogue, and he authored a mandolin method book.

[peterk]

Germany in 1930s. Perhaps an office party or some sorta club get together/celebration ?

[Bertram Henze]

Germany in 1930s. Perhaps an office party or some sorta club get together/celebration ?

Looks like some photographer was hired for a combined mandolin orchestra/choir performance. The instruments are motley crew - a guitar and a waldzither in the second row, a banjo in the first. I guess the people played whatever was available - this was an economically difficult and chaotic time, on the eve of utter darkness.

[dustyamps]

Gibson ad in Dec 1921 Popular Science Monthly

[Backlineman]

Is a photo from 1963 an Antique photo?
While visiting my parents recently I came across this photo taken by my mom in maybe 1963? Me at around 2 years old "rocking out" to my dad playing my great grandfather's 1914 F4. My dad is now 83 years young, and still plays mandolin quite a bit with several groups. As for the 1914 F-4, I've been playing and taking care of it for the last 5 years or so.

[Jim Garber]

Great photo, Backlineman! I love the rocking horse, the cowboy outfit and the TV. I wonder if your dad was playing some Sons of the Pioneers tune. I also like your blog -- fantastic that you have such a vital familial connection to a mandolin orchestra. I look fwd to reading more on your blog.

[mrmando]

Here's one currently up on eBay. What a killer torch & wire F4. Dated Christmas 1913; maybe Santa gave him the mandolin?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1913-Mandoli...item1c408b2c83

[DavidKOS]

Lastly this mostly Gibson (at least the guitars and mandolins) orchestra. Hard to tell what the banjos are -- they are not exactly in focus in the back. Possibly some Vegas.

I wonder how that sole bowlback player feels about not playing a Gibson like everyone else.

Maybe she's feeling smug and self satisfied that she isn't playing one of those 'slabs of timber' (or whatever bowlback die hards were referring to Gibson mandolins as.) She's playing a bowlback because it has the traditional, more appropriate sound for the classical music the orchestra is playing. She's saving for an Embergher.

Mick

Old thread, just found it...love that bit of interchange.

Great pictures on the whole thread.

[Markob]

http://s645.photobucket.com/user/eiw..._1264.jpg.html

Doughboy Power Trio.

Can't really see the Mandolin very well. My grandfather Knox Owen is on the right with the guitar and stogie. Somewhere in France 1918.

[JEStanek]

Markrob, I tried to tidy this up a bit....

Jamie

[Markob]

Thank you Jamie! I'm such a rookie. Didn't realize I'd throw my whole photobucket album on the post.

[Angrywidower]

Neat. As a bassist-guitarist,playing the mandolin is fun.I am used to eadg tuning so having the mandolin being gdae is fun for me. A delight is too weak a word for playing the mandolin. Wonderful or awesome is more appropriate.Be blessed and have a beautiful holidays all.

[rubydubyr]

Gibson ad in Dec 1921 Popular Science Monthly

$5/month pays for it, wonder how many months and what the downpayment was....

[Entropium]

Trying to locate the original article in the New York Herald wasn't successful, but a query to the Library of Congress' Music Division Reference Librarian led to a different article, from 1894, describing what seems to be the same expensive, pearl-covered mandolin at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition. Which further searching led to:
>> https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com/m...4-18-25-04.pdf
The Music Trade Review, Chicago, January 10th, 1894, p. 10
The past ten days, the beginning of the new and business year, start out very encouragingly and gives rise to hopes that the coming season will go very largely toward redeeming the World's Fair year. ... The famous high class mandolin made in the factory of Lyon & Healy, here, and shown for the first time in their exhibit at the World's Fair, has just been sold. It brought the highest price ever paid for a mandolin—$1,500. Mrs. Jennie Kimball was the fortunate purchaser who bought it for her daughter, Miss Corinne Kimball.

>> https://altamarkings.blogspot.com/2016/11/
"For entertainment he may well have been directed beyond the White City to the most popular show in town: "Hendrick Hudson" at the Alhambra, starring Corinne aka Little Corinne, the girl with the mandoline, in the extravaganza's title role. ... Under the guiding hand of Jennie Kimball, 'Little Corinne' had captured the nation's heart. She often performed decked in a spangle of jewels, expensively dressed. The mandolin was the instrument of the day and she was groomed to great profit as its ultimate poster-girl. "

[Jim Garber]

Entropium: has this mandolin been discussed here before? Your post sounds like it has. In any case I screenshot the Music Trades article. I would love to see a larger photo of the mandolin. In the photo of Corinne it doesn’t look so ornate

.

[Eric Platt]

Well, since we're reviving a zombie thread - here is a cabinet card of some person posing with his Strad-O-Lin. (This one has been discussed on the Forum previously).

[Jeff Mando]

While visiting my parents recently I came across this photo taken by my mom in maybe 1963?

We didn't have the F-4, but we had the exact same rocking horse. I think my sister gave it to her grandson. They made good stuff back then!

[Entropium]

The mandolin was very popular at the turn of the last century for the "fashionable girl":


I found that newspaper article in an old tune book. I love the reference to "Vellacia."
.

Jim, let's see if the quote sticks this time...
I don't recall how a search for some songs led me to your post of the New York Herald news clip, but that's what I sent to the Library of Congress Music Division, since google failed to turn up any citation. They didn't find the NY Herald article, but turned up this reference to Little Corinne and her $1,500 pearl and diamond mandolin in the St. Paul Daily Globe (January 1895), which led me to the only photo I could find of her with a mandolin, which I agree doesn't look like the fancy one. My search on the mandolins exhibited at the Columbia Exhibition found a listing of the Lyon & Healy that she bought, but no photos. Maybe you'll have more luck given those leads....