Neapolitan Mandolin.

Technical description: Bookmatched soundboard of spruce. Bridge of ebony with a brass saddle. Length of main part of bridge 65.5, and width 7. Full length of bridge 120. The soundboard bends back at the bridge. Between the bridge and the bottom of the instrument is a small piece of ebony which is raised above the soundboard but held in place by screws into the soundboard. This piece provides added downbearing tension on the strings. Oval soundhole 64mm wide and 44.5mm deep. Applied tortoiseshell scratchplate which also acts as purfling. The scratchplate has an inlaid mother-of-pearl floral design. Metal plate at the bottom with 4 pins to hold the strings. 17 ribs of rosewood with maple spacers. The outside ribs are wider than the others. Very wide rosewood capping which extends around the entire instrument with a paler rosewood (or possibly olivewood) strip next to the soundboard. Two oblong and one circular hole in each side at the widest points. Neck veneered in rosewood. Black painted maple head, the top surface veneered in ebony and featuring an applied engraved floral shield shaped ornament. Metal machine heads with black stained wood buttons. Nut of brass with a piece of red cloth behind it to dampen string noise. Fingerboard of ebony with metal bar frets. Neck 146mm long, 29.5mm wide at the nut and 36mm wide at the body join. Total length of the fingerboard 210mm in the centre. Mother-of-pearl position markers at frets 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12. 17frets in total.