The Jacobacci story begins at the beginning of the century, in Catania in Sicily, when the grandfather, a cutter of hardwood "worm" screws, decided to build mandolins and banjos to earn a better living. His son Vincent, born in 1895, an anti-fascist activist, emigrated to France in the 1920s. Arriving in France, the latter founded the family business Jacobacci in 1924 in a small workshop located in the popular district of Ménilmontant in Paris. He first began the semi-industrial manufacturing of banjos and banjo-mandolins, then later, to a lesser extent, guitars. “I made banjos at my father’s house until the 60s,” says Roger Jacobacci. "The family workshop will see workers like Pappalardo, Buccolo and Di Mauro, all Sicilians. My father had a large clientele. He had up to three workshops. Two in Paris: one located rue de Ménilmontant, the other rue Duris. The third was based in Brussels. Before and after the war, he supplied the whole of Benelux and also all of North Africa. He had up to twelve workers, some of whom packed instruments from morning to evening. remember packing boxes for 100 banjos He supplied the Parisian department stores, some of which took 3000 instruments per year. In fact, the production of the Jacobacci workshop at this time carried different brands, produced for the stores or distributors of the time. We can cite as one of the biggest customers of the Jacobacci workshop at this time, Paul Beuscher, who included banjos from this workshop in his catalog from the 1930s under the Dolly or Saltarello brand for example. Here the banjo-mandolin does not have a brand and was certainly produced as a "white label" in order to be resold by a distributor who would have affixed his own brand. What's more, in a rare finish witnessing the mixture of art nouveau and art deco styles, this banjo-mandolin could also have been an order from a distributor for a particular client. So here for sale is a sublime model of banjo-mandolin (banjoline) decorated with a light blue pearloid, with floral and art deco decorations topped with brilliants, manufactured in the Jacobacci workshops in 1947. In a good state of conservation, This banjo-mandolin plays perfectly and will fill collectors/enthusiasts and musicians alike with joy! Technical characteristics: Resonance head: Animal material Resonator: Maple Neck: 2-piece maple Fingerboard: Rosewood decorated blue pearloid veneer Width at nut: 29 mm Radius: Flat Frets: 17 frets (+1 zero fret) Scale: 335 mm Profile: D Arm rest: Metal Hardware: Chrome Country of manufacture: France, Paris Year: 1947 Finish: Blue pearloid Decorations: Blue pearloid with art deco red decorations, floral and shiny motifs Details: Some normal signs of wear given its age / Lack of pearloid on the resonator sides Like all our instruments, this banjo-mandolin has been carefully adjusted. So it has very good playing comfort. With a dynamic, harmonic sound, a nice interesting timbre between the mandolin and the banjo, with very powerful mids/trebles, good projection and good sustain, this banjo-mandolin will satisfy many joy for sure the musicians/enthusiasts who will play and listen to it.