This Instrument does unfortunately have no label. But on the other hand, there exists some other instruments of nearly the same style that do have a brand stamp "C/N". These initials may be dedicated to the instrument maker Christian Nonnenmacher. According to the fact that there did not survive so much instruments of this type and less makers are known I attribute this instrument to Christian Nonnenmacher.

This instrument is of a very fine work and furthermore in an excellent condition. It is played by the owner in concerts. Probably it may be opened for a repair, but it is not clear if it has been opened completely or only partially.

I had the the great luck to have this instrument for a quiet long time in my workschop. During this time I took a lot of detailed information, photos ad X-ray from the inside baring too. I did not open it to have a look inside, in spite this had been very tempting. But the results or the X-ray pictures gave me enough information.

This mandolin will have the following features:

• Body 15 ribs walnut with boxwood spacers. These are the original woods
• Top made out of fine european spruce with edge purfling of black-white and boxwood.
• The neck is made out od maple or alder and is stained black and varnished.
• The pegbox has insite maple and is the veneered with rosewood and decoration stripes like in the original.
• The fretboard is made from rosewood with 8 fixed brass frets
• For the pegs I use plum wood, a very good wood for this purpose or boxwood and they will be stained dark brown
• The string length is 31,9 cm
• the bridge is made out of rosewood and is not glued on to the top
• The mould is varnished with french polishing
• The tuning of this model is: e", h', g', d', a, e
• The stringing will be gut and wound strings or as it has originally been, a mixture of gut, brass, drilled brass and silk wound.

Now it is possible to download a PDF picture page with pics in high resolution. have a look in the download section