I have a much-treasured Hoyer, as described above, given to me by the old rogue Ivor Biggun. I believe there was a craze in 1950's Germany for these jazz-guitar shaped mandolins, and the respected firm of Hoyer catered for it.

As regards the Viennese College of Music examples, I was asked to set up a mandolin owned by a Brit expat in Spain. From memory, it was just like these, with the transfer on the back, and the owner told me that during a period of enthusiasm in Edwardian? days, one of his relatives had signed up for a course of lessons and the mandolin had been included in the price.