Mandolin: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This mandolin-like instrument was made by an unknown maker, provenance and date undetermined. This instrument, listed in the accession file as a tamboura, was acquired from the collection of Leopoldo Franciolini in 1892 and it is subject to study.

Leopoldo Franciolini (1844–1920) was an Italian antique dealer who flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is remembered as a fraudster who sold faked and altered historical musical instruments.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Object Name: mandolin
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: gourd (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 2 1/2 in x 19 in x 7 1/8 in; 6.35 cm x 48.26 cm x 18.0975 cm
• ID Number: MI.095312
• accession number: 26256
• catalog number: 95312
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.