Mandore or Milanese Mandolin.

Carlo Albertini é Figlio

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Instrument

Mandore/Mandolins/Strings/Musical Instrument ; Mandore

Instrument Family

Strings

Maker

Carlo Albertini é Figlio

Place Made

Milan ; Europe ; Italy ; Southern Europe

Date Made

19th Century

Description

Technical description: Bookmatched soundboard of spruce. Oval soundhole 75mm wide, 42.5mm lengthwise. Purfling around the soundhole consists of black mastic with inlaid mother-of-pearl arrow decoration surrounded by thin natural wood (maple(?)) strips inside black strips. The bottom of the purfling has been damaged and patched with black mastic and natural wood strips. Wooden scratchplate, not symmetrical, having a point at the upper part and a flowing curve sweeping towards the bridge at the treble side. Purfling around the edge of the instrument identical to that around the soundhole. Tie bridge, rectangular in shape, with added carved work behind and extending at the ends from it, terminating in downward facing human heads. Raised non-original wooden support piece at the bottom of the instrument. 17 ribs of alternate rosewood and birdseye maple, the two ribs nearest the soundboard wider than the others. Strip inlays in between the ribs of rosewood and maple. The outer ribs are decorated with maple scrollwork, as is the rosewood endclasp, which is edged in maple. The back is domed, including all individual ribs to form a smooth curve. Neck and head of one piece of wood, probably cherry. The head ends with a scroll terminating with a square finial of silver, engraved with a "PB" monogram. Six pegs, held in the neck in violin fashion. Purfling on top of the head at the sides identical to that around the soundhole and soundboard edge. Pegs of ebony, decorated with a larger mother-of-pearl dot surrounded by eight smaller dots in the same material. Pegs violin shaped. Ivory nut. Ebony fingerboard, scalloped between each of the frets. Fingerboard edged in ivory. 19 full frets, plus and extra fret for the two treble strings. Neck joins body at fret 7; fingerboard is raised above and glued to the soundboard. Neck 39.5mm wide at nut, 47.3mm wide at body join. Repair History: Mother-of-pearl piece added at the edge of the scratchplate next to the purfling on the treble side to protect the soundboard from further damage. One peg not original.

Notes

A. Macaulay, December 1991; D.P. Martin, 2003.

Measurements

560.

Collection

MIMEd ; Macaulay Collection

Accession Number

0301

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