Mandolines

Many reactions about where to buy these instruments. Alas, I'm more a collector though sometimes I'm willing to sell one of my dear ones. Please, if you have any further information regarding luthiers etc. please contact me at acakoevoets@kpnmail.nl

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Location: Oosterhout, Noord Brabant, Netherlands

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

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.