Mike's Oud Forums

Real Nahat ???

tsugumi - 8-20-2006 at 07:29 AM

Hello all,

Is this oud real Nahat?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-OUD-GEORGY-HANA-NAHAT-1958-SAZ-LUTE-GUI...

Regards,
tsugumi

Brian Prunka - 8-20-2006 at 08:12 AM

It looks like a fake. If it is real, it doesn't seem like much is original--rosettes, fake label. the face doesn't look original and the pickguard definitely isn't.
Maybe some of the experts can weigh in.

oudi - 8-20-2006 at 10:13 AM

NO NO NO definitely isn't........:shrug:

Alan - 8-20-2006 at 11:34 AM

The seller also has a Mohamed Fadel which is fake as well

http://cgi.ebay.com/OUD-MOUHAMED-FADEL-HUSEIN-1991-LUTE-UNIQUE_W0QQ...

Thank goodness no bids on either oud.

Brian Prunka - 8-20-2006 at 01:11 PM

Even if they're fake, both look like they might be decent ouds. It's impossible to tell from photos, but they look like nice enough instruments. They seem older, which counts for something in itself, and the Fadel fake has nice rosettes which appear to be bone.
They may be worth a few hundred dollars or so each, but I certainly hope no one bids on them as if they're authentic.

abdulo - 8-20-2006 at 02:30 PM

I just received email from yaroub Mhmad Fadhel confirming that is NOT mohamed fhadel oud.

abdulo - 8-20-2006 at 02:36 PM

I just received email from yaroub Mhmad Fadhel confirming that is NOT mohamed fhadel oud.

Real Nahat ?

spyrosc - 8-21-2006 at 10:15 AM

I have two Nahats including a REAL Georgy Nahat and have studied dozens of real Nahats and I am EXTREMELY sceptical about this one.

The bowl has some of the Nahat characteristics but that's about it.

The label is DEFINITELY fake, it names him as "Al Nahat" which is NOT the family name.

The rosette is NOT a standard Nahat, not even a Georgy Nahat.

The bridge is NOT typical and neither is the "Raqmah".

All in all it looks that at best somebody took a broken Nahat, used the bowl and replaced everything else.

Spyros C.

Brian Prunka - 8-21-2006 at 09:06 PM

The bidding is now over $500 . . . more than I'd risk, anyway.
I suspect that the seller may be using shill bids to raise the price, but maybe I'm paranoid.
Without playing it, there's no way to know how much it's worth. It could be worth $1000 or $100, who knows. Without any documentation, references or provenance, it certainly isn't worth much.

Dr. Oud - 8-23-2006 at 09:26 AM

Here's my take: Labels and roses were routinely stripped from Nahat ouds to counterfeit other disingenuous ouds. Every music store in the Hammadeyeh suk in Damascus had a "nahat" oud for sale. None of them were actually made by Nahat, but each one had a rose or a label or some inlay...

The shape and size of this oud are consistent with Georges Abdo as well as the neck, fingerboard, beard, pegs and edge tiles. http://www.droud.com/photogallery/Nahat/1928George_side.jpg
The bridge is the shape used by all Nahat builders, and while the raqma is plain, it is a design used by Abdo George http://www.droud.com/photogallery/Nahat/1892Ikwan.jpg
and Roufan
http://www.droud.com/photogallery/Nahat/RoufanFront.jpg
Yes, the label and roses have been replaced. The proof will be in the sound. The face looks old enough to be original, so the question is: what's your budget/risk level? Caveat emptor!