Hi @dade;  welcome to FOTMD.   Those Hondo dulcimers were made around 40-50 years ago in Korea and many were imported to the US.  Interesting to hear of one showing up in Italy.  Enjoy it, they are nice simple instruments.

That's an interesting shaped dulcimer. Unusual headstock too.  Nice I like it!

Very nice. Thanks for letting us know how you made out with this project.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

It looks brand-new!  Great job!  Now let's hear you play it!

I have a can of Howard's Citrus Shield, probably a life-time supply, I purchased a few years ago. It does a good job.  I remember a can of Johnson's paste wax my parents had 50 years ago. I bet my sister still has it!

This isn't something I do very often, but it does make things look nice. 

i would also reccomend minwax.  however a good alternative is kiwi clear shoe polish.  the minwax comes in a huge can.  i carried kiwi

shoe polish on the road for repairs and touch ups.

I use paste wax made by Minwax on my new dulcimers.  Just pop the lid off the can, scoop a small dab out with a soft rag, and rub on the surfaces.  Wait about 20 minutes, then buff with a soft flannel cloth.  Smells good, too.  A large hardware store should stock it.

A satin or matte finish usually has an additive like talc which keeps it from drying "glossy." Its sealing qualities are the same as a shiny finish. I wouldn't oil it because it probably won't penetrate, but just sit on top of the finish and get gooey. 

After getting an instrument cleaned up, I'm a fan of a good quality paste wax for mild protection and a nice glow.

Unless the original finish on the Hondo is worn through, I would not put anything on it other than a good polish. I think those old Hondo dulcimers had a light lacquer finish. I really like this polish:  Smith Pro Formula Polish .

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Welcome jfro!  Hondo dulcimers, made in Korea,  are one of the few "made overseas" dulcimer success stories, unlike First Act and a few other brands we could name...  Every Hondo I've seen and played has a great sound. 

Yours has completely raw wood on the back??? No finish at all?  They certainly were not sold that way!!  If it truly is raw wood, then I would use a rub-on polyurethane as one of the simplest finishes.  Another choice would be Tung Oil.  Both will take about 4 coats to completely seal the back.  If, however, it has a finish and you jusr want to shine it up a bit, try a little lemon Pledge on a soft cloth.

Since this is you first dulcimer, you might want to read the article I wrote a number of years ago called I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?  It's an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms, so we all know what we're talking about -- 'back', not backboard or bottom surface for example -- plus answers to many beginner questions about the tuning, playing, care and feeding of your new friend.  The recently revised article is here:

I Just Got A Dulcimer 2016.pdf  •  1.1MB