Hi Toots,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Giovanni de Meglio e Figlio ("Giovanni de Meglio & Son") was one of the best-known Neapolitan mandolin workshops of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although perhaps not as famous today as the Vinaccia family or Raffaele Calace, De Meglio instruments are highly regarded by collectors for their craftsmanship, distinctive appearance, and association with the "Golden Age" of the mandolin.

The label on this reads "Cav. Giovanni de Meglio e Figlio" ("Cavaliere Giovanni de Meglio & Son") and "Casa fondata nel 1800" ("House founded in 1800"), which emphasizes a long family tradition of instrument making, though most of their surviving madolins were made between 1890 and 1925. The manufacture date of 1902 puts this mandolin squarely within that date range.

De Meglio mandolins have several unique design elements: a tortoiseshell or imitation tortoiseshell scratchplate that wraps around the soundhole, mother-of-pearl floral inlays on the scratchplate and body, rectangular or squared peghead rather than the more common scroll design, decorative side soundholes in the bowl, an adjustable string tensioner located between the bridge and tailpiece, and beautiful bowl backs constructed from alternating rosewood and lighter wood ribs.

During the worldwide mandolin craze of the 1890s and early 1900s, the De Meglio workshop produced thousands of instruments that were exported throughout Europe and North America.

Their designs became so popular that many competing workshops copied them. According to mandolin historians, De Meglio responded by placing increasingly elaborate warnings and copyright notices on their labels, proclaiming exclusive rights to their designs and construction methods.

Despite their renown, when authentic De Meglio mandolins from this period come to auction, in as-is condition, they usually sell in the $100-150 range (or comparable conversion rate to pounds or Euros). I can find no benefit to selling them in the US, the UK or in the EU.

Note that private musical sellers will likely be offering refurbished De Meglio mandolins for higher retail prices.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

An antique Giovanni de Meglio mandolin
made in 1902
labeled to the interior
(DIMENSIONS)
CONDITION: This appears to be in good cosmetic condition; musicality and playing condition not tested
PROVENANCE: Inherited
€80-130*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia