DeLuccia mandolin

[Charles E.]

I have not seen one of these, but I'll bet Jim Garber has.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-DeLuccia...item3361993e85

[jdchapman]

I saw it too. Pretty thing. Whoever gets it, let us know how it sounds?

[Tom Mylet]

Darn...I was hoping it might go unnoticed. You may remember a thread several months ago where some poor soul won a DeLuccia mandolin on ebay only to learn that it was stolen and had to be sent to a police department.

The "poor soul" was me...If I don't come out on top this time, I certainly hope someone here gets it. Good Luck to all.

[brunello97]

Beautiful instrument. The action looks pretty scary on this, Tom, but I'm assuming you've checked that out. Maybe it is only the camera angles but it looks consistent from photo to photo. Otherwise it looks in great condition. That rosewood back looks deeeelicious.

Mick

[Jim Garber]

It is strange, but I think that this mandolin seems to get around a lot. I have pics of it (or one exactly like it) from Top Shelf Music from about 7 years ago, then from a guy named Glenn who (I think) asked me about the maker and now it appears again, not sure where it is now. And this poor fellow Tom owned it in spirit at least.

Tom, did you actually possess the instrument and have a clue how it played? Did you lose serious cash because it was stolen? There must be a story there.

The only other Deluccia pics I have in my files were two made in Florida, both two pointers. very interesting, tho from an Italian maker who immigrated to the US.

Mick, as for action: seller says..."Much deeper body than the average flat back and tone and volume are manifest. It is set up to play. Nice low action, straight neck; plays without buzzing or intonation issue." Hard to tell from the photos.

Also interesting that the scale is 13 3/4 inches.

[brunello97]

Mick, as for action: seller says..."Much deeper body than the average flat back and tone and volume are manifest. It is set up to play. Nice low action, straight neck; plays without buzzing or intonation issue." Hard to tell from the photos.

Yup. There's no way that is going to buzz without a kazoo. Caveat emptor.

Mick

[Tom Mylet]

Jim: I didn't buy this particular mandolin. It was another DeLuccia; less ornate, "A" shaped. A few minutes after my wife signed that she received the package, the seller called me and told me that it had been stolen, that he returned my money and gave me the number of a detective to call.

When I got home that evening I tuned the mandolin up, played a couple of tunes and before I could think about it, repacked it. I should have the photos somewhere and will look for them.

Even with ancient strings, it was a great little classical style mandolin. My attraction to DeLuccia is more about the fact that I frequented the shop in So. Phila and knew his son Emile pretty well. At one point Emile offered to sell the shop to my best friend and me: almost no money down, he would finance it withreasonable monthly payments. Walking away from that was one of the dumber things I've ever done.

[Jim Garber]

Tom: I would love to see pictures of that one. Please post if and when you can.

[Jim Garber]

Here are a few photos of the ex-Tom Deluccia from old threads.

[brunello97]

Wow. The Toyota Prius has nothing on that.

Mick

[Charles E.]

Wow, That's a looker.

[Tom Mylet]

Jim: Thanks for answering your own request. I realized about a second after I responded that it was a two point rather than an A.

Those photos really tell why the original owner wanted it back. Their home was robbed of more than $10,000 worth of belongings but the only thing they really wanted back was the DeLuccia mandolin. I did leave them a note in the case with my name and number in it though.

[Jim Garber]

The eBay DeLuccia went for over $900 -=- more than I thought. I was going to put in about $500 but figured I don't really need it. Did anyone here win it? I hope so. I would love to hear about it.

[alfonso]

hello everyone, My name is Alfonso Toscano, I am a descendant of the family De Luccia, this is the story of my family http://www.alfonsotoscano.it/angeloe-it.htm

I'm interested to see photos of instruments made by my ancestors, can you help?

.. I write with the help of an automatic translator ..

[Jim Garber]

alfonso: check out this link in an older thread for a couple of pics

[brunello97]

Alfonso, metterò le immagini di questi altri mandolini DeLuccia qui modo che tutto sia insieme nello stesso luogo.

Grazie per la storia della tua famiglia. Questo é una molto interessante storia da leggere.

Mick

[Jim Garber]

Here are some better photographs of the flattop cutaway above.

This was sold on eBay about 2 years ago. The seller put this description with history of the maker:

Vincenzi DeLuccia, Italian born from an old violin making family. Emigrated to USA around turn of the century. In 1920s he had a shop in Philadelphia and was making large body steel string guitars. These guitars are exceedingly rare and renown for master craftsmanship and huge tone. This mando follows the guitars in detail. Some old world flavor but distinctly American. Fleur de lis headstock and other esoteric Deluccia markers are diagnostic. Unique two-point design. A fancy little eye candy instrument. Brazilian Rosewood body; mahogany neck; pearl inlaid pick guard; elaborate marquetry and pearl purfling. Old case is good for shipping and not much else. Ref: 2007, Tony Marcus, "1930s Vincenzo DeLuccia," Acoustic Guitar Magazine, July:114

[brunello97]

Great, Jim, it is nice to have these pictures under one thread, particularly a thread with a simple, easily searchable title.

Really interesting mandolins. Curiously thick, this one, at the neck-body joint.

Mick

[Graham McDonald]

Alfonso also has some wonderful pages on his site devoted to chitarra battente and was very helpful when I was researching those.

Hello Alfonso

cheers