Neapolitan mandolin

Late 19th-century Neapolitan mandolin. Four double courses of steel, two plain, two covered. Twopiece front of wide to fine grain with single purfling and edging; pale gold varnish. Inlaid plectrum-guard of the same wood as the back. Soundhole has bevelled edge and collar of inlaid leaves and flowers of incised mother-ofpearl, set in black mastic, enclosed between lines of purfling. Two decorative inlays between tail and bridge. Plain loose bridge of simple wedge section. Back of eleven ribs of alternate figured maple and ?rosewood, lined with blue paper. Four ivory hitchbuttons in capping-strip. Raised fingerboard ending at soundhole. Ebonised neck and pegbox; thirteen ivory studs around edges of pegbox. Posterior pegs of modern violin style.