Austria 
No Label

Woods, mother-of-pearl, bone, metal
ca. 1890-1910
Height: 24.75 in; Width: 9.375 in; Depth: 2 in
Strings – Lutes – Mandolins

No Label/Markings

This Austrian flatback shield-shaped mandolin has four sets of double metal strings, 17 frets on a dark stained fretboard with five inlaid mother of pearl circles, and eight mechanized tuning pegs. The body is carved of a light stained wood with dark striped trim, and a bone protector surrounding the sound hole with dark lacquered wood floral inlay. The nut and bridge are also made of bone and the instrument has a silver metal tailpiece. A small section of unlacquered wood is attached with gold metal screws to hold the strings down just below the bridge. The body has a shield shape with a wider upper section tapering to a cut-away and half-moon lower section.

Pasquale Vinaccia (1806–c. 1882), created the Neapolitan (bow-back body) mandolin c. 1835.  He modernized it by adding features, such as raising and extending the fingerboard to 17 frets, introducing stronger wire strings and substituting a machine head for the friction tuning pegs.  All of these features are incorporated in this flatback Austrian mandolin.   The mandolin was used in many countries as a folk instrument.

Resource: http://www.pamelasmusic.co.uk/Library/Mandolin%20collection.htm