Al Billings - 2-1-2004 at 05:51 PM
Rufi, your oud was made by Shamli Tawfiq in Istanbul sometime before 1928, when the older Arabic script was outlawed. My oud teacher reads the old
script. I had one of Shamli's ouds, a little simpler than yours. Shamli means someone from Damascus. I bought mine from a Sufi scholar in Lyon,
France, who brought it from Turkey. He claimed that Shamli Tawfiq was related to, or of the Nahat family, hence its resemblance to those ouds.
We've not been able to find out anything about him. If yours turns out like mine, you'll find it to be bright, full and capable of great
volume. I sold mine to my teacher because it's so featherweight and fragile that it can't be taken out much and I need a new Arabic oud more
durable than that. I hope this helps. I've attached a photo of the Shamli I used to own.
mavrothis - 2-1-2004 at 07:56 PM
Thanks for sharing, this is really a beautiful oud.
mav
Thank's Al
Rufi - 2-3-2004 at 12:57 AM
Thank you al for your knowlege and information.
This is an incredibly light oud that I have. If ever possible could you post some more pictures of this oud? close ups on the roses and some other
details would be very helpful to my restoration efforts. could you also ask your teacher to write out all that the label says?
Thank you
blessings upon your
kind soul
Rufii
nadir - 2-3-2004 at 01:16 AM
i think its wonderful that this person was somehow related to that nahat family!! does the oud sound relatively the same do you think??
Rufi's Mystery Oud
Al Billings - 2-3-2004 at 04:23 PM
Rufi, here's what the label says:
Qadmani [the word not fully legible] Zadeh Shamli Tawfiq
Number: 4069 Year: [missing]
Istanbul: In Bayezid across from Darulfunun, number 12.
Note--my teacher points out that Darulfunun is the school that later became the University of Istanbul,
which is still located across from Bayezid Square. And of course there is the photo of the maker, in a western suit and
bowtie (rather than traditional garb).
The rosettes on this oud are not original. The smaller roses are replacement, and of horn. The outer section of the main rosette is horn, and center
is ivory, stating "Nahat Bros." in script, but there is doubt about the origin of the Nahat script. I'm going to try and locate the
seller in France and see if he can clarify things for me. I can get you more photos, but not until nect week when I have access to the oud.