Mandolin; Lucien Gélas and Théodore Gaudet, 1912.

LUCIEN GÉLAS and THÉODORE GAUDET; Paris, 1912.
Neapolitan mandolin.
Wood.
Presents faults, restorations and breakage in the bottom.
Preserves case.
Measurements: 60.5 x 20 x 12 cm.
Much of the development of the mandolin revolved around the soundboard (the lid). The first instruments were silent, strung with gut strings and plucked with the fingers or a feather. However, modern instruments are louder and use metal strings, which exert more pressure than gut strings.
Lucien Gélas ( Menton, 1873- 1944) was a luthier, classical guitarist and teacher. Gélas is known for inventing and patenting a double top guitar: It is often referred to as the Gélas guitar or double top guitar (or double resonance guitar) and was common in the first half of the 20th century. Gélas received a gold medal at the 1907 Bordeaux Exposition and another at the 1910 Brussels Exposition for his double-top instruments. The patent was first registered in Paris in 1905.Gélas made the instruments with the help of guitar makers (following his patent), at first Théodore Gaudet and later Jean Roviès, Beuscher, Richard Jacob and others. The instruments included classical guitars, mandolins, jazz double basses and Hawaiian guitars.