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About Jim Garber
Expertise

I can answer most questions on fretted instruments, my main area of expertise is in vintage mandolins, guitars and ukuleles. I also know some things about old banjos as well.

Many questioners ask about the market value of their instrument without much information. Please give me as much information as possible including the condition of the instrument. It also truly helps if you can includes a clear photo of your instrument. I think the site will only allow for one photo, but you can email me additional ones to jimg@paperclipdesign.com. I will try to evaluate but sometimes it is very difficult without the instrument in hand

PLEASE NOTE: I will not be able to answer any questions about antique keyboards, accordions, concertinas, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

Experience
I have been buying, selling, collecting and playing old and antique instruments for over 30 years. My recent specialty has been in European mandolins and classical and Italian mandolin music.

Organizations
Classical Mandolin Society of America, active participant on the Mandolin Cafe

Publications
Guild of American Luthiers, Sing Out Magazine,

Education/Credentials
BA, Brandeis University

You are here: Experts > Music/Performing Arts > Musical Instruments > Antique Musical Instruments > Mandolin

Antique Musical Instruments - Mandolin

Expert: Jim Garber - 9/10/2008

Question
I bought a mandolin years ago, which has now unfortunately been badly
damaged by visiting kids. It is a bowl backed mandolin with pearl inlays on
two butterflies on the front. A label inside reads

Fabrica di Instrumenti Musicali A Corda
G. INDELICATO CONTARINO
Via Crescenzio Galatola 27 CATANIA
No 208 (written in ink)
And signed in ink by Giuseppe Indelicato Contarino

Can you tell me anything about it's history and whether, had it not been
damaged, it would have been worth anything.

With many thanks, Carol

Answer
Hi Carol:
Did you buy this on eBay in October of 2005? I have some pics I took off a listing with that same numbered mandolin with the two butterflies etc.

I have never seen that particular maker's work. However, it could be a nice mandolin if it were not damaged.

Two of the largest concentrations of mandolin making at the turn of theb last century were Naples (Napoli) and Catania in Sicily. Generally mandolins made in Napoli were of somewhat higher quality but that doesn;t preclude that yours might be a decent instrument.

How badly damaged is it now? If only a few cracks, those can easily be fixed. if smashed into bits, well, probably not worth it.

OTOH these are usually not worth all that much in general -- only a few known makers of bowlback mandolins are prized by collectors and fetch decent sums of money.

Best
Jim

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