Neapolitan mandolin
Date1900-1925 ca.
Place MadeUnited States, North America
Serial No.none
SignednoneDescriptionSoundboard: two-piece spruce: fine grain
Bowl: 13 alternating light and brown-stained maple staves, 11 inner ribs narrower,divided by red-stained maple stringing
Clasp: brown-stained maple; festooned lower end
Head: red-stained maple; front face painted black; small mother-of- pearl five-pointedstar inlaid at top of front face
Neck: red-stained maple; integral with head
Binding: ivoroid; trim comprised of strip of alternating light maple/rosewood rectangles,bound on either side by three-ply green-stained [faded] hardwood/light hardwood/ebony stripes
Fingerboard: brown-stained maple; 17 nickel-silver T-frets; mother-of- pearl single-dots inlaid behind 5 th , 7 th , 10 th, and 12 th frets
Nut: brown-stained maple
Bridge: brown-stained maple
Tuners: two sets of worm-gear machine tuners with nickel-plated brass plates, nickel-plated brass rollers, and black celluloid heads
Tailpiece: nickel-plated brass; seashell-shaped
Rosette: elliptical; bound in ivoroid; trim the same as that found around soundboard edge
Pick guard: imitation tortoiseshell celluloid with decorative vine ivoroid inlay
Lacquer: slightly yellowed with craquelure
Bowl lining: two strips of mesh cloth perpendicular to strings; bottom covered with mesh cloth; entire inside of bowl painted very dark brown
Blocks: neck block painted very dark brown; end block either covered with mesh cloth or not present
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: 615 mm (24-7/32”)
Top length: 312 mm (12-9/32”)
Maximum body width: 210 mm (8-9/32”)
Maximum bowl height: 149 mm (5-7/8”)
Head length: 143 mm (5-5/8”)
Head width, top: 65.6 mm (2-19/32”)
Head width, bottom: 48.6 mm (1-29/32”)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 150 mm (5-29/32”)
Neck width, nut: 29.6 mm (1-5/32”)
Neck width, heel: 38 mm (1-1/2”)
Soundhole height: 42 mm (1-21/32”)
Soundhole width: 68.5 mm (2-11/16”)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 333 mm (13-1/8”)
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.
Credit LineArne B. Larson Collection, 1979
Object number03878
On View
Not on view
1900-1925 ca.
