Mandolin
Maker
Raphael Ciani workshop
Date1921 ca.
Place MadeNew York, New York, United States, North America
Modeltwo-point
Serial No.none
SignedPrinted on paper label with decorative border: A. GALIANO / RAPHAEL [Masonic compass] CIANI / FABBRICANTE DI / MANDOLINI / E CHITARRE / GARENTITEDescriptionStringing: 8 steel strings
Soundboard: one-piece spruce, medium grain; slightly bent
Back: two-piece maple cut off-the quarter; medium, horizontal curl; slightly bent; strip of purfling along center joint, slightly to the treble side of center
Ribs: four-piece maple cut off-the quarter; medium curl
Head: mahogany; broken pediment-style with turned, brass ornament; veneered with dark-stained hardwood over light and dark-stained layer (purfling not cut into strips); abalone foliate inlay of identical design to that on NMM 10772, plectrum guitar by John D’Angelico, 1937
Neck: mahogany, integral with head
Heel cap: dark-stained hardwood; set in from back
Binding: white celluloid on top; white ivoroid on back; three-ply, black-white-black celluloid strip trim on front, back, and ribs
Fingerboard: ebony; 20 nickel-silver frets under D and G strings; 20 nickel-silver frets under A-string; 28 nickel-silver frets under E-string, this section of the fingerboard over a spruce extension bridging the soundhole; foliate mother-of-pearl inlay behind 1st, 3rd, 10th and 15th frets; foliate abalone inlay behind 5th, 7th, and 12th frets; single mother-of-pearl dots behind 17th, 20th, 22nd, and 25th frets; mother-of-pearl side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 10th frets
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony; bone saddle with string offsets set into top; ends terminate in separate guitar-pin heads with abalone eyes glued to top
Tuners: two pairs of nickel-plated steel inset worm-gear machine tuners with mother-of-pearl heads and nickel-silver plates with engraved and impressed floral designs
Rosette: two rings of black-white-black-black four-ply celluloid purfling with space between; soundhole bound on inside with tan-colored ivoroid
Pick guard: imitation tortoise shell celluloid with extension on treble side; inlaid with two abalone angels playing a lyre and foliate design; lyre strings made from inlaid white celluloid strips
Tailpiece: nickel-plated steel in shape of armrest
Lacquer: clear on front; brown stain on back, ribs and neck
Linings: thick spruce in upper bouts; changes to kerfed maple about one inch below corners
Corner blocks: dark-stained hardwood, probably maple
Neck block: mahogany or Spanish cedar; grain runs parallel to plane of top and back
End block: ebony; wide; shallow
Top braces: four large spruce braces set into linings, three below soundhole, one above soundhole
Back braces: four large spruce braces set into linings; wide maple back graft; upper spruce brace cut down after it was set into linings
DimensionsTotal mandolin length: 617 mm (24-5/16″)
Back length: 325 mm (12-13/16″)
Upper bout width, between points: 139 mm (5-15/32”)
Waist width: 134 mm (5-9/32″)
Lower bout width: 255 mm (1″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 48 mm (1-29/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 51 mm (2″)
Rib height, at end block: 50 mm (1-31/32″)
Head length: 152 mm (6″)
Head width, top: 66 mm (2-19/32″)
Head width, bottom: 52 mm (2-1/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 149 mm (5-7/8″)
Neck width, nut: 29 mm (1-5/32″)
Neck width, heel: 36 mm (1-7/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 50 by 78 mm (3-7/8″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 347 mm (13-21/32″); low E: 348 mm (13-11/16″)
ProvenancePurchased from Lowell Levinger, Inverness, California, 2008.
Published ReferencesPaul Schmidt and Arian Sheets. The Masters' Bench (Vermillion, South Dakota: National Music Museum, 2016)
Credit LineTony and Bonnie Vinatieri Family Trust, 2008
Object number13563
On View
On view
