Topic: Odd unidentified mandolin

Just  picked up  an old  mandolin  which I cant  identify . No  apparent makers  marks  ,I'd  say  from the  condition its  early  20th  century  .It has  a  flat  top  and  is  shaped  rather  like  a  traditional   Celtic   mandolin  ,the  body  has  straight  sides  which are  around  1 3/4  inches  deep  but  the  strange    feature  is    the  back  is  semi  bowl shaped    with  triangular  marquetry   inlays  in black  and  natural  wood  with  a  central hole  about  3/16 " in diameter . The  front  has  an inlaid  scratch board  with  a  flower pattern  ,rose  wood  finger board  and  open   tuners  like a classical guitar  . There  also  appears  to  be  some   green /white  flower  pattern paper  stuck  inside    but  as  i  said  no  makers  marks . I've  made  an extensive  search  to  no  avail  , I  will  post  some  pics  when I  get  home  to  see  if  any  one  can help  before  I  start  any  restoration . 

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Can’t wait to see!     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lWkgB … _d2RQ=s113
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Hqcn5 … pNa8w=s113
https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ … e=5E5DF54F     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid … mp;theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid … mp;theater     

5 (edited by Grah1 2019-10-23 22:40:23)

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Found the letters drgm and warg on the tuners and this article on   Google https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/arch … 97922.html     
So I think this dates it pre 1952 possibly made in Germany

6 (edited by Grah1 2019-10-23 22:51:17)

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht … 1870838864

Looks similar to this

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

This also is similar
https://reverb.com/item/4805448-fine-vi … many-1950s     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

http://www.mandolinluthier.com/german_m … MCL=s5TNFZ
This article shows a mandolin by a company called migma  the inlays on the front look very similar     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Finaly got  this    finished
heres  a  little    vid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKY5IZL7UiA     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Sounds great!

Cheers

Richard     

-[ Musician, writer, guitarist, singer ]-
Bandcamp     https://richardmortimer.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Discogs          https://www.discogs.com/release/29065579
YouTube         https://www.youtube.com/@RichardMortimerMusic

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Graham
That is impressive - well done sir!

Jim     

Your vision is not limited by what your eye can see, but what your mind can imagine.
Make your life count, and the world will be a better place because you tried.

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except only the the best." - Henry Van Dyke

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Grah that is mandolin magic a cool sound.     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

You're all  very  kind  ,thank  you .     

Re: Odd unidentified mandolin

Such a cool sounding old instrument.