Six-string mandolin
Maker
Thouvenel-Henry
Distributor
Keith, Prowse & Co.
(distributor)
Date1872
Place MadeMirecourt, France, Europe
Place DistributedLondon, England, Europe
Modelnone
Serial No.none
SignedPrinted on paper label on inside of top below soundhole and brace, the wording after Mirecourt written in black ink: THOUVENEL HENRY / TH [in circle] / A MIRECOURT / fecit anno D. 1872. alla / Rua d' Orleanum.Printed in gold metallic ink on black paper label: [obliterated]SE & / C[HEAP]SIDE / LONDON (most of label missing - originally Keith, Prowse & Co.)
Markingsnone
DescriptionStringing: six single gut strings
Soundboard: two-piece quarter-cut spruce: very narrow grain
Bowl: 23 quarter-cut maple staves with narrow curl; the inner 21 strips much narrower and fluted; black-painted lines on each joint between ribs
Clasp: maple cut off the quarter with narrow curl; festooned and decoratively cut outline; incised and black-painted lines continue contours of ribs over clasp
Head: festooned maple with satinwood veneer and ivory and ebony strips along center line, divided by bone and dark brown hardwood purfling; decoratively turned bone pins along edges, which are painted black
Neck: hardwood with satinwood ir maple veneer and ivory and ebony strips along center line, divided by bone and dark brown hardwood strips
Binding: ivory with bone and dark brown hardwood purfling strip trim on top and dark brown hardwood strip on side
Fingerboard: alternating lateral strips of ivory and ebony, the frets set into ebony, surrounded on each side by dark brown hardwood and bone strips, all glued over dark-brown-stained maple; 8 nickel-silver T-frets on fingerboard, 4 ebony frets inlaid into top
Nut: ebony
Bridge: ebony with bone saddle
String holders: six bone (one replaced with bone with mother-of-pearl eye) set into raised maple block with rosewood saddle
Tuners: six maple friction pegs
Pickguard: rosewood bound in ebony and bone strips
Rosette: engraved mother-of-pearl flowers in oval rings, set into black mastic, surrounded on each side by dark brown hardwood and bone purfling
Lacquer: golden with craquelure
Decoration: rosewood abstract floral / vine inlay on lower end of top
Bowl lining: silvered paper (according to John Koster, this type of paper was used for waterproofing. He suggests that the maker may have intended to waterproof the instrument by lining it.)
Linings: none
Braces: spruce lateral braces with tapered ends above and below soundhole
DimensionsTotal mandolin length: 556 mm
Top length: 283 mm
Maximum body width: 182 mm
Maximum bowl height: 128 mm
Head length: 159 mm
Head width, top: 64 mm
Head width, bottom: 58 mm
Neck length (nut to ribs): 108 mm
Neck width, nut: 42 mm
Neck width, heel: 47 mm
Soundhole diameter: 54 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 292 mm
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.
Credit LineArne B. Larson Collection, 1979
Object number01299
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