Here's one for you musical instrument fans. This mando (Mando Photo 1, Mando Photo 2, Mando Photo 3, Mando Photo 4, Mando Photo 5, Mano Photo 6, Mando Photo 7) followed me home yesterday. After removing a layer of grime, degunking the tuners so they would turn, and replacing very rusty strings I was delighted to find that it looks and sounds great. There is a large "Joseph Bohmann" label on the inside and I found information about him on the international google web. There is also a handwritten serial number. I haven't, however, been able to date the instrument. There is a hole in tailpiece for a strap button, but the strap button is missing.

Anyone have ideas on dating the mando or where to find a strap button that is correct for the period?

There is a patent number on the tuning gear plate with a patent date of Dec 8,1891 so it stands to reason that the instrument can't be any older than that. The inside label has pictures of medals won at the Paris exposition of 1889. Looking at pictures of other Bohmann labels online I see that some of them have pictures of those medals and pictures of similar medals for other expositions in 1893, 94 ,and 95. I wonder if that would help to date the mando. The handwritten serial number is 141XXX.

Thanks, Phil