c.1915 Stella Bowlback Mandolin

Here's a simple but grand-sounding Stella I sold over the holidays last year. It's got a spruce top, rosewood bowl, a fun flowery-decal pickguard, and ebony fretboard. Played nicely, too, with all-original hardware.

Deep aged-in cedary-colored top. As you can see from where the bridge used to be (in its improper resting place) the top has sun-soaked in over about 100 years.

Interesting, simple headstock. Bakelite knobs, brass tuner shafts and plates, ebony nut.

MOP dots on the board.

Celluloid pickguard is inlaid into the top with a flower decal. The construction on this mandolin, like most Oscar Schmidt-built instruments, is nice and reassuringly solid.

Simple half-oval tailpiece.

Captain! Rosewood sighted! Indeed.

Tuners -- with "riveted" style gears: no screws to go wacky on these. This also dates the mandolin as earlier rather than 1920s and up.

3/4 view. Bridge is rosewood and original.

Side view.

Here's the simply way-cool label inside.

No binding on this mando, but plenty of tone.

Upsy-daisy!