Luigi Vicentini Mandolin

Luigi Vicentini mandolin that can be dated around 1900.

A nice crackfree soundboard and a newly added

ebony fingerboard with abalone position markers.

This Vicentini was originally laquered this way.

The back has 21 ribs in flawless condition!

A nice detail of this Vicentini mandolin.

Note new extended ebony fingerboard.

Luigi Vicentini Mandolin

Luigi Vicentini mandolin probably made

around 1900.

They can be found all over the world which

means that quality was there and therefore

business was flourishing.

A new extended ebony fingerboard has been

added fitted with abalone dots.

The back of this highly ornamented

Vicentini mandolin. Indeed, 27 ribs.

A nice detail of this beautifully ornamented

Vicentini mandolin.

PASQUALE VINACCIA MANDOLIN

A Pasquale Vinaccia mandolin from around 1895.

The odd ornamentation is not common on these instruments.

Besides that, the ornamentation is a bit crudely done.

This instrument bears no label and suspects are that

somebody did some work on the soundboard and the

the bowl inside has been covered with new paper.

Richard Waltz, a Vinaccia connaisseur, examined this

instrument extensively and states that the bowl

undoubtly is a Vinaccia part. He certainly had his 
doubts regarding the soundboard. On the upper side 
left on the soundboard the stamp says:

P. Vinaccia Napoli.

On this picture you see the back of the P.Vinaccia 
mandoline. A bit too heavy lacquered though other 
people might dig it the way it has been done.

A close look will show the exquisite

woodwork on the back of this mandoline.

By clicking on the photo you are able to enlarge

this picture. The engraving top left says:
P. Vinaccia Napoli.

Giuseppe Vinaccia

Giuseppe Vinaccia

This mandolin has no label nor any brandmarks but the sound,

the way it has been built and the trim alongside the soundboard

are quite convincing. The form of the scratchplate is identical to

an instrument that was put up for an auction at Bonhams.

In fact a more simple instrument but even these instruments

are worth their money. It has everything to do with refinement

of tone. Probably a Giuseppe Vinaccia mandolin as some 

elements are pointing in that direction. Identical scratch plates,

the extra co bring alongside the soundhole, wood choice,

especially of the soundboard and inlay of the edges.

Judge for yourself with a genuine Guiseppe Vinaccia

put up for auction at Catawiki here beyond.

Twee Vinaccia mandolins where you can study the bowl.

And the typical "bulb" near the neck joint.

The way the neck has been attached to the body.

The sound hole can be studied here: The rings around

the sound hole as well as its' inner layer of wood in

the sound hole itself is quite convincing.

On the mandolin here above a bt mor simple endcap 

has been mounted.

Most Vinaccia have a specific curve in the bowl,

resulting in a kind of bulb near the neck mounting.

One can conclude here that the head has been

repaired in the past. The tuners are alike but

they do on various mandolins as there were

extern suppliers of parts for most mandolin

makers.

A quite often used head form but very often found 

on the Vinaccia family mandolins.

The inlay of the edges can be studied here as well 

as the rings around the sound hole.

The "bulb" near the neck mounting can be looked at.

A hand signed label in this mandolin. As there were

befriended luthiers that worked for each other it can

occur that some instruments in stock still had no

label at all.

Quite remarkable is the choice of wood on this mandolin and

the one here above. As the soundboard almost never were 

treated or varnished the bare wood is always visible.

The colour of the wood on both mandolins is identical

which is no surprise as most luthiers hold a fairly big

amount of wood in stock they selected themselves.