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Soprano ukulele
Maker: Mario Maccaferri
Date: 1952-1963 ca.
Place Made:New York, United States, North America
Model: Islander Uke
Serial No: none
SignedPrinted in brown ink on head: [figure of hula-girl] / ISLANDER / ® / U. S. PAT. NO. / 2,597,154 / 2,614,448 / [Crown over shield divided into four section, the upper right corner with “M”, the lower right corner with eighth note, sixteenth note, and thirty-second note, a rod diagonally through other two corners, with banner below reading “SUMMUM PERSTO”], slightly overlapping large “V” motif composed of three lines / Designed by / MACCAFERRI / MADE IN U. S.A.. [sic]
MarkingsWhite paper sticker reverse-printed gray with rounded corners and white lettering, affixed to upper left top corner: MADE OF / STYRON
DescriptionStringing: four nylon strings
Soundboard: ivory Styron; soundhole edge extends 9 mm downward into body cavity
Back: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; slightly arched
Ribs: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; integral with back, neck, and head
Head: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron, integral with body and neck, with ivory Styron face; shield-shaped head
Neck: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; integral with head and body
Heel cap: none; injection molding mark on back of neck heel
Binding: none
Fingerboard: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; 13 silver Styron frets (including one at nut); silver Styron dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, and 12th frets, gradually smaller toward high end of fingerboard
Nut: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron with silver portion between C- and G-strings; integral with fingerboard
Bridge: white, dark red, black, and gold metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron with ivory Styron saddle; lozenge-shaped extensions on ends; string balls fit into recesses at end of bridge
Tuners: four nickel-plated steel tension tuners with silver Styron heads
Rosette: very dark red metallic Styron ring with decorative protruding extensions
Lacquer: none
Linings: none
Neck block: none
End block: none
Top bracing: 9 fan braces integral with top
Soundboard: ivory Styron; soundhole edge extends 9 mm downward into body cavity
Back: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; slightly arched
Ribs: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; integral with back, neck, and head
Head: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron, integral with body and neck, with ivory Styron face; shield-shaped head
Neck: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; integral with head and body
Heel cap: none; injection molding mark on back of neck heel
Binding: none
Fingerboard: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron; 13 silver Styron frets (including one at nut); silver Styron dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, and 12th frets, gradually smaller toward high end of fingerboard
Nut: dark red, tan, brown, black, and silver metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron with silver portion between C- and G-strings; integral with fingerboard
Bridge: white, dark red, black, and gold metallic marbleized (Rosewood) Styron with ivory Styron saddle; lozenge-shaped extensions on ends; string balls fit into recesses at end of bridge
Tuners: four nickel-plated steel tension tuners with silver Styron heads
Rosette: very dark red metallic Styron ring with decorative protruding extensions
Lacquer: none
Linings: none
Neck block: none
End block: none
Top bracing: 9 fan braces integral with top
DimensionsTotal ukulele length: 530 mm (20-15/16″)
Back length: 234 mm (9-1/4″)
Upper bout width: 124 mm (4-7/8″)
Waist width: 96 mm (3-25/32″)
Lower bout width: 160 mm (6-5/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 51 mm (2″)
Rib height, at waist: 56 mm (2″)
Rib height, at end block: 56 mm (2″)
Head length: 118 mm (4-11/16″)
Head width, top: 61 mm (2-7/16″)
Head width, bottom: 46 mm (1-25/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 177 mm (6-31/32″)
Neck width, nut: 35 mm (1-3/8″)
Neck width, heel: 46 mm (1-13/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 43 mm (1-21/32″)
Vibrating string length (zero-fret to bridge edge): 351 mm (13-25/32″)
Back length: 234 mm (9-1/4″)
Upper bout width: 124 mm (4-7/8″)
Waist width: 96 mm (3-25/32″)
Lower bout width: 160 mm (6-5/16″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 51 mm (2″)
Rib height, at waist: 56 mm (2″)
Rib height, at end block: 56 mm (2″)
Head length: 118 mm (4-11/16″)
Head width, top: 61 mm (2-7/16″)
Head width, bottom: 46 mm (1-25/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 177 mm (6-31/32″)
Neck width, nut: 35 mm (1-3/8″)
Neck width, heel: 46 mm (1-13/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 43 mm (1-21/32″)
Vibrating string length (zero-fret to bridge edge): 351 mm (13-25/32″)
Terms
Credit Line: Arne B. Larson Estate, 1988.
Not on view
Published ReferencesSilva, Ana Sofia. "Digging the Fifties: A Curatorial Perspective on 50 Objects from the NMM Collections." NMM Notes (October 2023): 28.
Object number: 14150