Raffaele Calace Mandolin N°2 1910

This 1910 Raffaele Calace No. 2 mandolin is a remarkable example of early 20th-century Neapolitan craftsmanship, combining Italian lutherie tradition, refined construction, and the acoustic qualities prized by both musicians and collectors.

Built in the workshop of the celebrated Neapolitan luthier, composer, and virtuoso Raffaele Calace (1863–1934), this mandolin reflects a pivotal period during which the instrument gradually evolved from its popular and folkloric roots into a true concert instrument.

Raffaele Calace revolutionized mandolin design through structural innovations intended to improve projection, playing precision, and harmonic richness.

From the 1890s onward, his instruments earned an international reputation among European and Japanese concert performers, while his compositions, études, and concertos played a major role in establishing the modern classical mandolin.

The No. 2 model perfectly embodies Calace’s desire to democratize the workshop’s exceptional craftsmanship by offering an instrument more accessible than the luxurious concert-grade models, while still maintaining the extremely high construction standards that made the Neapolitan workshop renowned worldwide.

Built in 1910, this instrument belongs to the golden age of Calace production, a period during which the master refined his bracing patterns, optimized body depths, and developed a more modern ergonomics in order to provide musicians with greater power and sustain.

Calace mandolins from this era are now highly sought after by collectors, classical musicians, and enthusiasts of historical instruments for their exceptional balance of fine craftsmanship, playing comfort, and musical expressiveness.

The quality of the inlays, decorative purfling, and rib construction reflects the meticulous craftsmanship of early 20th-century Neapolitan workshops, where every instrument was entirely handcrafted with equal attention given to aesthetics and acoustics.

As such, this 1910 Raffaele Calace No. 2 remains a remarkable testament to Italian musical heritage and to the evolution of the mandolin into a refined and virtuosic concert instrument at a more than accessible price point.

Technical specifications:

• Top: Spruce
• Back: Maple, 17 ribs
• Neck: Beech with rosewood veneer
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Nut width: 29 mm
• Radius: Flat
• Frets: 17 frets
• Scale length: 332 mm
• Neck profile: Neapolitan
• Pickguard: Rosewood
• Country of manufacture: Italy, Naples
• Year: 1910
• Finish: Natural
• Appointments: White mother-of-pearl dot inlays / Purfling around the top and soundhole
• Details: Normal signs of wear and use consistent with its age / Very good condition / Original period case included

Like all our instruments, this mandolin has been carefully set up.
As a result, it offers excellent playing comfort.

The tone of this mandolin crafted by Raffaele Calace immediately captivates with its superb projection, crystalline clarity, and typically Neapolitan harmonic richness, delivering a fast and highly musical response under the fingers.

Its warm, refined, and deeply expressive voice reveals brilliant trebles, singing mids, and an elegant resonance that will appeal equally to classical musicians and players exploring more modern musical styles, to which it adapts beautifully.