Mike's Oud Forums

Oud Identifacation

Rufi - 1-17-2004 at 08:42 PM

:shrug: I am currently restoring an oud which I bought in an antique store in ventura. It is old, most likely from the teens or early twenties. I am posting these pictures of the label in hopes that one of you has come across it before or can read what's left of it.
Here is what I know. The instrument was made in istanbul, all I can make out of the name is kosmani zed... This oud was made very well and should sound very good, unfortunately some one has done many poor repairs to it. The last two ribs will both need to be replaced and the top has many cracks.
the peg head is very elegant and the fingerboard inlays are almost Identical to those of Hamza El Din's abdo nahat oud!!
Any help will be greatly appreciated!!
P.S. The instrument was made in istanbul but it is shaped more like an old persian or syrian oud. the top however is braced like a turkish oud. It is indeed a curious one. I showed it to Viken Najarian and John bilezikjijain They both were impressed. Viken told me that the top was braced just like he would brace an oud. and John offered to buy it from me. Najarian uses a more modern turkish style bracing with the half brace as does Simone Shaheen's brother. The fact that this oud has the half brace would seem to indicate that it has been rebraced or perhaps someone has simply shaved the brace down. the bracing appears to be very old and the half brace is the same color as the others. This is all very strange and exiting. This sort of detective work is one of the most fun parts of my job. Thanks again
peace
Rufi:wavey:

Rufi - 1-17-2004 at 08:44 PM

fingerboard inlay

Rufi - 1-17-2004 at 08:45 PM

face or soundboard

Rufi - 1-17-2004 at 08:54 PM

arm or neck and peg box

nadir - 1-22-2004 at 12:11 AM

how's it coming along now??

Rufi - 1-22-2004 at 04:41 PM

This one is going to take me a while!! I'm currently making my first big batch of guitars and earning my living fixing Instruments. If this was one of my customers I think it woould take 2 months but beacuse it is mine it will probly take more like a year. I wish I had more free time to work on things for myself but I need to make enough money to support my wife and new baby. If you have any information that you could share about this maker I would apreciate it. thank you Rufi

samzayed - 1-22-2004 at 11:15 PM

Hi Rufi,

I need some advice on oud restoration. Can you send me your email?

Thanks!

Rufi's email

davide rebuffa - 3-1-2004 at 11:33 AM

I would like to get in touch with Rufi that in december 2003 published photos of a eski turkish ud that he was restoring.
By the way, I'm writing a book on the lute ( from old barbat, arab treatises, modern idan, madieval, renaissance and baroque lute in europe) so I ask anybody who has interesting photos of 'idan if I can quote them and if they allow me to publish it.
my email is davide.rebuffa@fastwebnet.it

zeyad - 3-1-2004 at 12:11 PM

This Oud is owned by Fissal. He asked me to see if any of you guys would help him to know more about his oud. According to the label this Oud is made in April 1924 by Kaleel Abrahim Aljawhari in Egypt. Does anyone know about this Oud maker? or the kinds of woods being used....
The sound of this oud is just amazing. Fissal does not use this oud for playing. He is soooooo careful about this Oud. He even does not like to take it outside of his home :)

Thank you.
Zeyad

Khalil Al Johary

Adel - 3-1-2004 at 01:20 PM

Zayed,
I know the work of Khalil Al Johary, he was a great master indeed, the last oud I sew for him was a 1937 but was not for sale,
i hope your friend is not going to sell this oud, because I looked for Al Johary's ouds in Egypt, and you I could not find any of them.
al Johary stopped working in the early Sixties, but ouds were produced under his name after 1961.
Adel

Ronny Andersson - 3-5-2004 at 09:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by zeyad
This Oud is owned by Fissal. He asked me to see if any of you guys would help him to know more about his oud. According to the label this Oud is made in April 1924 by Kaleel Abrahim Aljawhari in Egypt. Does anyone know about this Oud maker? or the kinds of woods being used....
The sound of this oud is just amazing. Fissal does not use this oud for playing. He is soooooo careful about this Oud. He even does not like to take it outside of his home :)

Thank you.
Zeyad


The soundboard looks like Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libanii).

my email

Rufi - 3-6-2004 at 05:21 PM

my email address is auchinachie@hotmail.com


Thanks you

zeyad - 3-7-2004 at 01:12 AM

Thank you Adel and Ronny for the info. I appreciate it.
Zeyad