Author:Antonio Luigi Embergher(1856-1943)

Category：Entertainment

Year：1895

Size:Length:20 x Width:15.5 x Height:55 (cm)

Weight:610g

Introduction：The mandolin is a small-sized and pear-shaped musical instrument. Its predecessors include the gittern from the Middle Ages and the mandore from the Renaissance. The mandolin has a small body with frets on the neck, and is plucked with a plectrum. Unable to sustain notes very well, the technique of tremolo is often adopted while playing a mandolin.

This mandolin was made in 1895 by Italian luthier Antonio Luigi Embergher. The Embergher family has a long tradition of making ebony furniture. Although we don’t know who is the teacher of Antonio, we do know that he was well-acquainted with many famous luthiers and mandolin players in Rome. In the 1890s, he worked with Giovanni Battista Maldura to improve several mandolin models used in various mandolin ensembles, which later became standard models for such ensembles. Embergher's mandolins are known for their warm, sonorous sound and perfect intonation. In 1913, he was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Italian Crown.

The plates and body of this mandolin are ornamented with tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl and ivory, which make it quite exquisite and elegant. This mandolin belongs to the comparatively rare Artistic Mandolin Model No.8. Compared to other models, the materials used to make this mandolin were relatively rare and expensive, making it an exemplar of artistry and craftsmanship.

Accession Number:0009070

Place of Orgin：Rome, Italy