I'm not sure about the "C.P. 147" on theses labels - "Catania Province", or "Corso Principale", perhaps. All I have is a (later?) address for Francesco Catania at Via Bonforte No. 5 in Catania - and that guitar certainly looks very familiar, apart from the differently shaped sound hole, bridge and tailpiece - this one might well have a P. Bucolo connection. Other pictures of "Francesco Catania" guitars via google searches, mercantinomusicale, etc might indicate he was a distributor of a wide range of differently styled guitars (& mandolins), surely most of them made by various luthiers. - Another piece in the puzzle- here's a wee pic for the record after the eBay listing is wiped:
...
p.s. I only realised today that the Monzino workshop in Milan pictured earlier in this thread would later become "Monzino e Garlandini" , creators of "Mogar" guitars, as played by Django et. al.
has links to other sources including the current Mogar which still acts as a distributor if not a manufacturer; their own website claims to go back to “dal 1750 al servizio della musica”.
Bookmark that Guitarlist website if you haven't already, it has some little clues and often links to many obscure brands (though not so many of our Catanian friends).
Beautiful design on this Sicilian "Napoli Antonino" - I'm puzzling over the Caponnetto style soundhole-rosette (and Carmelo Catania style tailpiece) . It sounds nice in the video, imho.
I found this video online about a month back (not filmed by me), but it is De Piotto's playing in Tilburg, NL in 2006. @AndyW You can see Storro Limberger partway through the video with his peacock guitar from the image you posted earlier in the thread (re-adding here). The reflection washes out the bird, but this is the same guitar from the same day. This was a fantastic show and included as guests Fapy Lafertin and Koen de Cauter.
NB About :17s into the video, a much younger version of me appears in frame.
Hi friends, I'm new here.... bought this ages ago as a project - not imagining this has monetry value but its quite resonant, has a nice domed back and might spruce up with a proper neck and a bit of fettling. Guessed it was from the Catania school. what do you think? struggled to steam the neck off but plan to make a jig to help.
wondering now if I should just leave the neck and stiffen with carbon fibre and just graduate a new fretboard to get a good neck angle. Original plan was to graft the headstock onto a new mahogany neck...
Comments
I'm not sure about the "C.P. 147" on theses labels - "Catania Province", or "Corso Principale", perhaps. All I have is a (later?) address for Francesco Catania at Via Bonforte No. 5 in Catania - and that guitar certainly looks very familiar, apart from the differently shaped sound hole, bridge and tailpiece - this one might well have a P. Bucolo connection. Other pictures of "Francesco Catania" guitars via google searches, mercantinomusicale, etc might indicate he was a distributor of a wide range of differently styled guitars (& mandolins), surely most of them made by various luthiers. - Another piece in the puzzle- here's a wee pic for the record after the eBay listing is wiped:
...
p.s. I only realised today that the Monzino workshop in Milan pictured earlier in this thread would later become "Monzino e Garlandini" , creators of "Mogar" guitars, as played by Django et. al.
Monzino yes, already an established luthier, but Garlandi was a brother-in-law from a family of instrument retailers.
Various sources I found had conflicting dates going back to the 1700s but this page
https://www.guitar-list.com/brands/mogar
has links to other sources including the current Mogar which still acts as a distributor if not a manufacturer; their own website claims to go back to “dal 1750 al servizio della musica”.
Bookmark that Guitarlist website if you haven't already, it has some little clues and often links to many obscure brands (though not so many of our Catanian friends).
Beautiful design on this Sicilian "Napoli Antonino" - I'm puzzling over the Caponnetto style soundhole-rosette (and Carmelo Catania style tailpiece) . It sounds nice in the video, imho.
My own 1930s Antonino Napoli "Pavone" is playable once more, after many years of disuse / neglect.
I may make another 'better' video soon, but here's a wee taster.
Great ! Keep 'em coming.
I'm a sucker for the bird! Glad you could get her flying again.
Andy the napoli sounds nice. Good work worth the effort.
I found this video online about a month back (not filmed by me), but it is De Piotto's playing in Tilburg, NL in 2006. @AndyW You can see Storro Limberger partway through the video with his peacock guitar from the image you posted earlier in the thread (re-adding here). The reflection washes out the bird, but this is the same guitar from the same day. This was a fantastic show and included as guests Fapy Lafertin and Koen de Cauter.
NB About :17s into the video, a much younger version of me appears in frame.
Hi friends, I'm new here.... bought this ages ago as a project - not imagining this has monetry value but its quite resonant, has a nice domed back and might spruce up with a proper neck and a bit of fettling. Guessed it was from the Catania school. what do you think? struggled to steam the neck off but plan to make a jig to help.
wondering now if I should just leave the neck and stiffen with carbon fibre and just graduate a new fretboard to get a good neck angle. Original plan was to graft the headstock onto a new mahogany neck...