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Six-string mandolin
Maker: Thouvenel-Henry
Distributor: Keith, Prowse & Co. (distributor)
Date: 1872
Place Made:Mirecourt, France, Europe
Place Distributed:London, England, Europe
Model: none
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.)
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
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
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.
Terms
Credit Line: Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979
Not on view
Object number: 01299