jdowning
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Translation of "maker's" label
Hello - I have an old Oud purchased in Cairo in the early 1960's that I am planning to restore. There is a 'maker's' label inside - image attached -
and I was wondering what the translation of the Arabic text might be. Can anyone advise?
Thanks
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abdulo
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Hi,
School of Ornamentation
Department of music instruments
Made by :Hosain Mohey Aldeen Helmy
Third Year
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jdowning
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Thank you abdulo - would you happen to know anything about the "School of Ornamentation"? Was (or is) this an educational organisation (based in
Cairo?) for training apprentice Oud makers?
Thanks again for your help.
John Downing
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abdulo
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no but can you post Pic for the oud
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jdowning
Oud Junkie
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Here are some images of the Oud. As you can see it is currently in fairly poor shape with the soundboard detached and damaged. The body, neck and peg
box seem to be old but in good shape and nicely made. The belly on the other hand is roughly made, badly cut rosettes, poorly shaped barring,
underside roughly finished with a toothing plane and surplus glue slopped all over the place - a sign to me of inferior workmanship and an indication
that the belly might not be original. However, while I have made a number of copies of 16th/17th C European lutes over the years I have no experience
of typical Oud construction and workmanship so cannot judge if rough and indifferent workmanship is to be expected - I imagine not in superior quality
instruments!
I find the inlays on the fingerboard that seem to indicate fret positions rather interesting. Is this a common feature - meant perhaps to represent
fretted Ouds of earlier times?
All comments are welcomed
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jdowning
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Here is another image.
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jdowning
Oud Junkie
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... and another
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amtaha
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School of Ornamental Productions
Produce of
Hussain Mohye el Deen Helmy
Department of
Musical Instruments Carpentry
Third Year
This is probably a high school. In Egypt, a certain branch of high school education is dedicated to crafts. According to the site below, which
unfortunately is in Arabic, Crafts' schools used to involve the last years of middle eduction (early secondary) in addition to secondary education.
This however was changed in in the sixties and crafts' schools became limited only to final three years of education. The name was also changed.
We still have crafts schools right now in Egypt, although for some reason they're not favourably looked upon. This might do with the fact that they,
and the agriculture schools, became a resort to those who don't make into the usual schooling. A shame on all counts.
I also didn't know that these schools had interests in building musical instruments.
You might be holding on to a piece of history there. Wouldn't be sure of the value, though. Nor would I be able to get more information on these
schools.
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amtaha
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Apologies, Abdulo.
Didn't notice your translation.
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jdowning
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Many thanks for the information Amtaha - I agree with you about the status of craft schools in this day and age - the same is true in Western
societies also - if you have aptitudes as a craftsman (or a farmer even) you are somehow - in our 'status conscious' societies - considered inferior
to those who happen to want to pursue more 'intellectual' studies at college or university. Try and get a computer to make an Oud for you!!
I have now decided to undertake a full restoration of this instrument to (hopefully) its original playing condition and will do so as a project on
this excellent forum over the next few months. I am not interested in the monetory value of the Oud, just in carefully conserving the instrument -
making only the minimal repairs that may be considered necessary. I hope to learn a lot from this project and welcome comments and observations from
everyone interested.
From your observation it looks as though the Oud has likely been made in Egypt? I bought it in 1963 and it looked quite old to me then and would guess
it might have been made in the 19th or early 20th C - but that is just a hunch and we will see what other information may come to light as this
project proceeds.
Thanks again
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