Rofan Nahat 1916 Beauty

Rofan Nahat 1916 oud

Rofan Nahat (pronounced just the same as "raw fan") was supposed to be born some-when in the early 1860's, as Dr. Oud has indicated in his site, under the Nahat chronology chart. Rofan was the second son of George Abdo Nahat, born before his brothers Hanna & Anton & after the legendary Abdo (1863-1941), with whom he launched their "Carpentry Shop" in Qaimerieh quarter in Damascus, called "Ikhwan Nahat" (Nahat Brothers) in 1880. To establish a business, one should be more than just a kid, so I believe they were both born at least before 1860, even though I couldn't find any reference to support this assumption.

Rofan is believed to be working with his associate brother Abdo for two decades or so, until they split into two different firms in the early 1900. Abdo's independent label indicates, underneath his "new" photo, it's from 1900, though the label says the firm was established in 1880. However we're still able to see some Ikhwan Nahat roses & labels even afterwards, like this one from1907 posted here: http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=7062#pid435... Anyhow, people believe Ikhwan Nahat firma kept going on even through the 20th century, but the info about this issue is still rather vague.

Rofan Nahat stood on his own as a great luthier, as we've seen from the very little masterpieces he'd left us until he actually seized to build ouds, or passed away some-when in the 1920's. I've never encountered any of his oud, carrying 1930's date or so, and the last label I've seen in person was from 1919 . Pls. Correct me if I'm wrong !

This particular piece of art was built in 1916, a whole dark one color ribs walnut bowl with brighter wooden inlays, apparently of pine or some other almond family tree wood.
Paint : French polished with shelac, restored by me .

The soundboard is made of medium-high quality spruce, very well kept as to a 94 years soundboard. Some may dare to claim it has been replaced during the years, but I tend to believe it hasn't. See the photos for yourself and judge.

The inlays on the soundboard are "S" shaped, similar to what we've seen a lot on Abdo's & Ikhwan's ouds, & after which Jameel Khalaf has designed his Nahat replicas. The pickguard is walnut, seems to be lately restored a bit .

The fingerboard and the nut are both made of bone, while the almond/heart on top of the neck block has been replaced with a wooden one, after the latter bone-like one turned out to be of some cheap plastic raw material that has been deformed after decades of playing. I don't really know, but I don't think this plastic/nylon-like materials have yet been known back in 1916 , so I tend to believe it wasn't the original one either.

The neck is made of some light wood, coated with walnut veneer with a the same bowl inlays of brighter wood.
The rose is dark wood, mostly walnut, though I couldn't exclude rosewood, with a small Rofan Nahat bone rosette right in the center.

The pegbox is perfectly built & inlayed, equipped with dark wooden pegs, apparently the original, spotted with a golden spot on top. Some of these golden dots have eventually dropped during the century.

Dimensions : 49.5 X 34.5 X 19.5 cm
Scale : 61 cm, neck 20.3 cm
Weight: 1027 grams, including the pegs
Strings : Pyramid Lute Strings (special oud set) 0.625, 0.725, 1011, 1016, 1024, 1036
Tuning : CGDAFC
Sound: medium treble C & G, deep colorful bass in DAFC

We've paid a fortune to purchase this piece of art, after long exhausting months of negotiations; but money comes and goes, while ouds stay. Therefore we're very content with this purchase, though some of our friends think we've paid much more than this oud worth. Who cares ? I have already forgotten the money I had paid, but can still "remember" the oud on my sofa, on daily basis. I have always assumed that the buyer of such beauties is the real premium winner, no matter what he pays, while the whole loss is the seller's !
I hope this is the case here !

The players stated that the oud kept functioning well, even while playing on the third & forth positions, no buzzes whatsoever were detected. Later on I'll post soundfiles, so listen & judge.

We might be able to discover more of Rofan's rare masterpieces in the next months to come, so stay tuned. Are there any interested ?

Enjoy
Yours indeed
Alfaraby

Thank you dear !

Here are some more photos .

The label says : Rofan Nahat, in Damascus 1887 (the year the photo was taken) on April 8, 1916, No. 1704 (!!)

2 soundfiles to come later. My problem is that the files are 3 MB, so what to do ? to cut them into multiple files ?
What do you think ?

Attached first sound sample !

For the time being, enjoy viewing & listening

Yours indeed
Alfaraby



Attachment: Rofan Nahat Sound Sample.mp3 (986kB)
This file has been downloaded 599 times

Quote: Originally posted by fernandraynaud

if you had stuff you could always sell it, but with money you couldn't always get stuff. Anyway, good health and thoughtful playing to you, dear friend.

I liked the stuff stuff very much.

Thanks dear friend. I wish you the same ! I mean the same good health & same oud.

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

One more soundfile

Thanks Livia !
I have to admit that your column in Al Tarab "The Last of the Nahats", drove me to seek this specific oud.
Well, I mean among others !!

Now for you've loved the oud, I'm uploading one more clip for your ears only. Don't let members who hadn't say a word listen to it, Deal ?

Enjoy

Yours indeed
Alfaraby
Attachment: Rofan 1916 sound 2.mp3 (846kB)
This file has been downloaded 686 times

Quote: Originally posted by alfaraby

Thanks Livia ! I have to admit that your column in Al Tarab "The Last of the Nahats", drove me to seek this specific oud. Well, I mean among others !! Now for you've loved the oud, I'm uploading one more clip for your ears only. Don't let members who hadn't say a word listen to it, Deal ? Enjoy Yours indeed Alfaraby

OMG, what a great honour!
I am happy to see that my article has inspired you. Thank you very much, I am proud!

And thank you for this last gift! The instrument sounds like heaven.... And it's very well played, what drives me crazy!

haha Other members hadn't comment because may be they are so astonished that they became speachless haha

Yours , Livia.

i am so happy for you dear alfaraby,play in good health
best wishes

Siro & Abusaid :

Many thanks to you both ! I really appreciate your opinions. But I have to point out that it's not me playing here in those two sound samples. I wish I was this good & interesting !

Pls. come along if you're nearby & have a look & touch !
I mean it.

Once you play such an oud, you get used to this standard & therefore you become very nasty, judging other ouds, especially new "metallic" sounds !
I hope I'd recover & get back to "normal" ouds. Do you think there's a chance ?
I doubt it

Thanks one more
Yours indeed
Alfaraby

Dear Alfaraby,

congratulations This oud is really a masterpiece... I hope you will enjoy it for many years ! Indeed there is no substitute for the sound of old venerable ouds !



best regards,

Dan

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