Neapolitan mandolin

Trade Name Clifford (trade name of J. W. Jenkins & Sons Music Company)

Date1895-1905 ca.

Place MadeKansas City, Missouri, United States, North America

ModelClifford

Serial No.none

SignedBranded into neck block: CLIFFORD / WARRANTED / AMERICAN
DescriptionSoundboard: twopiece spruce: wide grain
Bowl: seven redstained mahogany staves, five inner ribs narrower
Clasp: rosewood; festooned lower end
Head: poplar?
Neck: poplar?; integral with head
Binding: ivoroid; trim comprised of redstained maple stripe, strip of alternating ebony and red and brownstained and light hardwood rhombi, ebony stripe inlays
Fingerboard: rosewood; 17 nickelsilver bar frets; singledot motherofpearl inlays behind 5th, 7th, and 10th frets
Nut: rosewood
Bridge: ebony
Tuners: two sets of wormgear machine tuners with brass plates, brass rollers, and black celluloid heads
Tailpiece: nickelplated brass [and aluminum or cast zinc]
Rosette: elliptical; trim comprised of same alternating ebony/colored hardwoodrhombi strip as on soundboard trim, bound on either side by threeply redstained maple/maple/rosewood stripes
Pick guard: imitation tortoiseshell celluloid; motherofpearl inlays of a butterfly and two fourleaf clovers
Lacquer: orange with craquelure
Bowl lining: light brown paper
Blocks: neck and bottom blocks covered with paper bowl lining
Top braces: spruce brace with tapered ends above soundhole; spruce brace with tapered ends below soundhole and at widest point of soundboard
Linings: kerfed spruce
DimensionsTotal mandolin length: 622 mm (241/2”)
Top length: 311 mm (121/4”)
Maximum body width: 210 mm (89/32”)
Maximum bowl height: 155 mm (63/32”)
Head length: 161 mm (611/32”)
Head width, top: 61 mm (213/32”)
Head width, bottom: 47 mm (127/32”)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 144 mm (521/32”)
Neck width, nut: 31 mm (17/32”)
Neck width, heel: 38 mm (11/2”)
Soundhole height: 43 mm (111/16”)
Soundhole width: 66 mm (219/32”)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 329 mm (1215/16”)
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.

Credit LineArne B. Larson Collection, 1979

Object number03603

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