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Neapolitan Mandolin

1761 (?) or 1766-67 (made)
Artist/Maker
Vinaccia, Vincenzo (made)
Place of origin
Naples (made)

Vincenzo Vinaccia (active 1760-1785) belonged to a very important family of stringed-instrument makers in Naples. This example is a 'Neapolitan' mandolin, a version developed in the 1760s. It is tuned like a violin, and played with a pick. The 'Neapolitan' mandolin was very popular, and featured in the works of composers ranging from Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) to Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901).

Object details

Category
Musical Instruments
Object type
Neapolitan mandolin
Materials and techniques
Planed sycamore ribs; planed pine belly with ivory purfling (bordering); mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell inlaid soundhole.
Tortoise Shell
Marquetry
Brief description
Neapolitan mandolin, sycamore ribs, tortoiseshell pick-board, Vincenzo Vinaccia, Naples, Italian (Naples)1761 or 1766-1767.
Physical description
"Body of twenty-three ribs of sycamore with intervening stringing of darker wood. Pine belly with ivory purfling [bordering] and tortoiseshell protector plate. The round soundhole has crude marquetry surround of mother-of-pearl on metal foil. There are ten frets on the fingerboard and four ebony frets on the belly. Eight pegs for four double courses." Anthony Baines, Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), p. 40.
Dimensions
  • Total length: 59cm
  • Length of belly length: 26.5cm
  • Length of neck length: 12.7cm
  • String length length: 29cm
  • Width: 17.5cm
Dimensions taken from Anthony Baines:Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 40.
Marks and inscriptions
"...n.ius Vinaccio Filius / ... Januarii fecit Neapoli / alla strada della Rua Catalana / 176 (1?) (Printed on a label inside the instrument.)
Translation
Vincenzo Vinaccio, son of Gennaro, made this in Naples, in Rua Catalana Street / 176 (1?)
Gallery label
(pre September 2000)
MANDOLIN
Italian (Naples)
By Vicenzo Vinaccia, 1761
Printed label reads ...n.ius Vinaccio Filius / ...Januari fecit Neapoli / alla strada della Rua Catalana / 1761
Sycamore ribs, pine soundboard with tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl pick board and soundhole surround. Tortoiseshell, ivory and ebony strung fingerboard and neck. Eight tuning pegs and four courses.

Non-Keyboard Catalogue No.: 8/7

Vicenzo Vinaccia was a member of the distinguished Neapolitan mandolin-making family and his surviving instruments date from 1767 until 1794, this museum's example being one of the earliest, although the date of 1761 is disputed.

The "Neapolitan" mandolin, developed in Naples in about 1750 was tuned like a violin, and played with a plectrum. The angled soundboard probably developed from the Chitarra Battente.

198-1882
Object history
This instrument formed part of the collections of Carl Engel (1818-1882), and was bought by the Museum for £5- 10 - 0 (£5.50p) in 1882
Production
"The date 1761 would seem a little early for Vincenzo Vinaccia; possibly it should be read 1766 or 1767. - Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 40.
Summary
Vincenzo Vinaccia (active 1760-1785) belonged to a very important family of stringed-instrument makers in Naples. This example is a 'Neapolitan' mandolin, a version developed in the 1760s. It is tuned like a violin, and played with a pick. The 'Neapolitan' mandolin was very popular, and featured in the works of composers ranging from Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) to Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901).
Bibliographic reference
Anthony Baines:Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 40
Collection
Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number
198-1882

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Record createdMay 16, 2001
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58947/neapolitan-mandolin-vinaccia-vincenzo/
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