Can anyone ID this vintage taropatch ukulele?

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Christill1

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• Jan 17, 2016

• #1

 

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Christill1

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Oops. Yeah, I bought the taropatch uke at a country sale this weekend. There are no maker's marks on it. It is rather simply made, judging by the bracing. It's a bit over 25" long.
Thanks, Chris

 

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hmgberg

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• Jan 17, 2016

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I think it is a mandolinetto, i.e., a guitar-shaped mandolin.

 

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Christill1

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• Jan 17, 2016

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Wow, first I've heard of one. I think you're right. It seems awful big to be a taropatch. Maker?
Thanks, Chris

 

PhilUSAFRet

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• Jan 17, 2016

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check google images for a gaggle of them https://www.google.com/search?q=man...2&ved=0ahUKEwjr1pmb9rHKAhWBdSYKHaG0ADcQsAQIIg

 

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Christill1

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• Jan 18, 2016

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Hey Phil,
Checking those Google images, I find some close matches, but not quite the same. Still trying to figure out the maker.
Thanks!

 

jgarber

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• Jan 18, 2016

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Yes, mandolinetto. Some have labels that say Neapolitan School of Music or something like that. I believe they were imported into the UK or perhaps were made there in the early 20th century.

 

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ukulelekarcsi

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• Jan 18, 2016

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I have a different one, and it works very well as a mandolin. For nylon strings it will most certainly sound very weak, and be very narrow to navigate.

Gregg Miner did some research on the origins (Howe-Orme, but not the one of the sewing machine fame) and the different types (mine's in the Chicago vein, yours is of the British kind):
http://www.minermusic.com/mandolinetto.htm

 

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Christill1

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• Jan 18, 2016

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Cool. Thanks everybody. I've found 'Net pictures with designs similar to mine, but not the same peg head shape.

 

jgarber

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• Jan 18, 2016

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ukulelekarcsi said:

Gregg Miner did some research on the origins (Howe-Orme, but not the one of the sewing machine fame) and the different types (mine's in the Chicago vein, yours is of the British kind):
http://www.minermusic.com/mandolinetto.htm

Click to expand...

The Howe-Orme instruments were very different from most of the others. The H-Os had radiused tops and backs whereas the other of these were merely guitar-shaped flattop instruments. The OP's is the latter.

Christill1 said:

Cool. Thanks everybody. I've found 'Net pictures with designs similar to mine, but not the same peg head shape.

Click to expand...

Here's one labelled Neapolitan School of Music from my picture file that appeared for sale on eBay circa 2008: