Just had a fantastic trip to my local Dr Barnados charity shop in Brixton. Came out with Peggy Seeger's book "Five-string Banjo American folk styles" (Hargail Folk Anthology); some baroque guitar sheet music; the Nonesuch Explorer series "Koto Classics" CD reissue; a cheap tourist bongo-like hand percussion instrument from the Maldives; and a mandolin.

For a grand total of £33.50. Score!

Can anyone tell me about this battered old mandolin that I'm now the owner of? The label inside says "Cremona Mandolin / Made In Czechoslovakia". I know it's factory-made and not worth much, but I'd still like to know about it. It plays perfectly OK, though the actions quite high near the top. It has a very pretty flower painted on a black background on it (that looks a bit 60s/art decoey) and a striped back.

I'd say from the typeface on the label that it's 1960s or 50s, but I suppose it could be 70s if the owner was really treating it badly.