Mandolino-bouzouko

With a unique sound-hole!

A beautiful unlabeled bow- backed mandolin, (probably Italian of the early 20th c), meant to be the holy grail for the mandolino-bouzouko conversion project which the luthier Giannis Tsoulogiannis informed me he will perform in near future. 

This Neapolitan style mandolin carries mother-of-pearl/pearloid,  showcasing as pick-guard decoration, a woman in a boat. Wooden-MOP marquetry fillets placed around the soundboard 

The soundboard is in a very good condition with absence of any serious scratches or cracks 

Some of the marquetry (wood-MOP decoration pieces)  around the soundboard , are missing. 

To be determine if what looks as a discoloration of the rosewood staves in the photos, is a natural beautiful grain of the rosewood, or the staves  missing at that area the first layer of their surface.

The tuning head machine are made by bone.

A beautiful rosewood ply covers the back of the neck.

The pick guard decoration theme is very unique and with a great engraved quality of the mother of pearl and pearloid.

I have seen previously  the same decoration,on other vintage mandolins, but I have never seen such a clean and detailed work as this one.

It appears that the mandolin has a layer of old varnish ( maybe chemical ) which needs to be removed and replaced with French Shellac (. Gomolaka-mpala)

Memories will follow  the luthier,  under his new workshop division Xijaz, recording step by step this interesting process of restoring and converting the mandolinobouzouko.