Aléjos Cabréra, Gran Canaria 1878.
Extraordinary guitar by a merely unknown maker (cf. Romanillos, The Vihuela de Mano and the Spanish Guitar, p. 11), featuring a stunning blend of French romantic and modern Spanish styles. Two-piece – yet veneered - rosewood back (on maple), original French “Eon” machines and tornavoz; matching antique coffin case. Original printed label.
Anonymous bandurria, Portugal, c. 1875.
Quite original, shield-shaped early instrument, featuring a one-piece mahogany back, lyre-shaped head with pegs and an oval protection plate on the soundboard.
Anonymous cittern, (probably) French, c. 1700.
Plain, but nicely designed and all original instrument, featuring a simple parchment rose and a carved gargoyle head. (Not for sale.)
Anonymous guitar, Mirecourt, c. 1835.
Body-shape with double “cutaway”, scalloped fretboard and a very interesting experimental bridge that permits to adjust the string heigth. One-piece back (satinwood on spruce).
Anonymous guitar, (probably) Markneukirchen, c. 1845.
Beautiful German guitar that recalls early guitars by C. F. Martin. Stauffer-style headstock with tuning machine; intricate, very personal pearl inlay around the soundboard and rose; one-piece back (mahogany on spruce).
Anonymous guitar, (probably) Markneukirchen, c. 1880.
Exceedingly well made ten-string guitar (four additional strings outside the fretboard). Wide neck with a slightly arched fretboard; perfectly executed x-bracing of the soundboard; very fine flamed solid one-piece maple back. Unidentified signature on the upper block.
Anonymous guitar, (probably) Mirecourt c. 1800.
Very early six-string guitar. Deep body, solid two-piece maple back.
Anonymous guitar, (probably) Mirecourt, c. 1795.
Plain five-course guitar, showing some unusual construction details. Transformed to six single strings.
Anonymous guitar, Mirecourt c. 1825.
Highly experimental guitar, featuring a scalloped fretboard, extremely vaulted back, bridge with individual string height adjustment, heelless neck and violin-style internal strutting. Original coffin case.
(C.F.) Bauer, Markneukirchen, c. 1840.
Plain, but nicely designed guitar by one of the best German makers – who was trained in Vienna. Nicely flamed one-piece solid maple back. Original brand mark.
Blaise le Jeune, Mirecourt, c. 1830.
Plain, but beautiful guitar by an excellent maker. Important vibrating string-length for the time (651 mm), personal soundboard bracing and one-piece back (rosewood on spruce). Original brand mark.
Brunner, Vienna, c. 1830.
Interesting experimental guitar by an important (though little productive) maker, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 170-171). Original engraved label.
Charles, Marseille 1782.
Very nice post-baroque five course guitar by a well known maker - who is not exactly who he pretends to be on the label of this guitar (…). The original string length was shortened to 634 mm, but the original head preserved. Original engraved label.
Charotte-Millot, Mirecourt, c. 1830.
Plain, but nicely made and designed guitar that matches the specifications of the terz guitar, which is extremely rare amongst French guitars. One-piece back (ash burl on spruce), blackened head. Original engraved label.
Clementi, Collard & Collard, London, c. 1830.
Interesting and highly original guitar, beautiful one-piece back (rosewood on spruce); Panormo-style head with original “Rance”-machines. Original engraved label.
Coffe, Mirecourt, c. 1825.
Early and very elaborate guitar of an important maker. Pearl inlays around the soundboard, rose, neck and head; ivory bindings; one-piece back (satinwood on spruce). Original brand mark.
Daum, Vienna, c. 1832.
Plain Legnani model, featured in Stauffer & Co. (p. 178-179). Original engraved label. t
Del Maria, Naples, c. 1775.
Nice all original 18th century mandolin. Original hand-written label.
Enzensperger, Vienna, c. 1835
Plain Legnani model, set neck and pegs. Original engraved label.
Enzensperger, Vienna, c. 1835.
Early Legnani model, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 182-183). Original engraved label.
(Ferdinand) Feilnreiter, Vienna 1864.
Plain Legnani model with set neck and pegs. Original signature on the inside of the soundboard.
(Franz) Feilnreiter, Vienna 1816
Typical early Viennese guitar with intricate wooden inlay around the soundboard, upper section of the fretboard and rose. Unusual “Pommelé”-maple one-piece back. Original engraved label. (Because of its very poor condition, this guitar should endure conservatory measures only and will not suit a player.)
(Franz) Feilnreiter, Vienna 1820.
Experimental guitar with an early adjustable neck mechanism, featured in Stauffer & Co. (p. 136-137). Original engraved label.
(A.) Fischer, Vienna, c. 1835.
Nice Legnani model, adjustable neck and pegs. Original engraved label.
(A.) Fischer, Vienna, c. 1840.
Plain Legnani model with adjustable neck. 614 mm vibrating string-length, 21 frets. Original engraved label.
(D.) Filano, Naples 1772.
Very beautiful and interesting 18th century mandolin in nearly un-altered original condition. Original engraved label.
Güttler, Vienna 1913.
Perfectly made late Legnani model with an adjustable neck and pegs. Original case and engraved label. (Featured in Stauffer & Co., pp. 230-231.)
(Ch.) Gand, Laval, c. 1835.
Typical French romantic guitar, probably made in Mirecourt by Marcard. One-piece back (mahogany on spruce). Original engraved label.
Haid, Vienna 1926.
Typical guitar by this maker, known for his huge-bodied six-string guitars. Adjustable neck and original tuning machines. Original mark and year on the head, signature inside the body.
Hamberger, Pressburg, c. 1830.
Plain, but beautifully designed and well made Legnani model. Set neck and pegs. Original engraved label.
Hell, Vienna, c. 1870.
Late Legnani model, probably made in Schönbach, Ferdinand Hell being a merchant of musical instruments of all sorts. Adjustable neck and Stauffer-style head with machines. Original engraved label.
Herzlieb, Graz, c. 1835.
Highly original terz guitar, featured in Stauffer & Co. (p. 184-185). Hand-written label by the violin maker Alois Palfner, who certifies that the instrument was made by Herzlieb.
Hijos de Gonzalez, Madrid, c. 1890.
Interesting experimental guitar. Blackened fruit-wood back and sides; highly vaulted soundboard. Original printed label.
(F.J.) Homolka, Kuttenberg (today Kutná Hora), c. 1835.
Plain Legnani model in the style of Enzensperger. Set neck, pegs. Original engraved label.
(J.) Hornsteiner, Passau, c. 1845.
Nice early German guitar, very different from the huge number of late factory guitars associated with this name. Italian-style inlay around the soundboard and the upper section of the fretboard. Very original “open” head design. Original printed label.
Jeremias, Vienna, c. 1825.
Interesting mix of various influences, one-piece solid bird’s eye maple back and sides. Original engraved label. (Featured in Stauffer & Co., pp. 156-157.)
Krasny, Vienna 1838.
Plain, but beautifully designed and made terz guitar by one of the best Viennese makers (cf. Stauffer & Co., p. 122-123). Original engraved label.
Krassnoschekow, Moscow, c. 1870.
Late seven-string guitar with adjustable neck of the best-known Russian maker. (Beyond repair, for study purposes only.)
Lacote, Paris 1829.
Standard body size, but shorter string length than normal. “Pommelé”-mahogany (back on spruce), pegs. Original label and mark on the head. (On hold.)
Lacote, Paris 1835.
Very beautiful guitar in a rare Legnani model-style shape, made by Lacote for the Silvestre brothers in Lyon, whose original label it bears.
Laprevotte, Marseille 1819.
Early guitar by this very important maker. It does not display the typical features associated with his name: the body matches exactly a model created by Blaise Mast more than ten years earlier. The workmanship however is not only excellent, but also very personal, featuring a beautifully varnished soundboard for example. Original engraved label.
Lavigne, Paris, c. 1820.
Original coffin case and hand-written label. (Not for sale.)
Lejeune, Paris 1822.
Rare six-string guitar by one of the most important Parisian musical instrument maker. Two-piece (yet veneered) maple back; typical and very personal shape of the head. Original hand-written label. (Because of its very poor condition, this guitar should endure conservatory measures only and will not suit a player.)
Lemböck, Vienna, c. 1845.
Nice terz guitar with set neck and pegs. Original engraved label.
Liebich, Breslau 1826.
Interesting guitar by one of the most important makers in the North European tradition. Typical lyre-shaped head with side-standing pegs. Original engraved label.
Lutzembourg, (probably) Mirecourt, c. 1805.
Early six-string guitar; although it features a standard vibrating string-length, the body is comparatively small. Solid two-piece maple back, elaborate soundboard-purfling. Very personal work of a little known maker. Original brand mark.
(F.) Lux, Vienna, c. 1855.
Plain Legnani model by the successor of Ries. Set neck, pegs. Featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 210-211). Original printed label.
Mangin, Mirecourt, c. 1835.
Although Mangin was probably only a merchant of musical instruments, this guitar shows a lot of personality and bears a series of brandmarks inside the body, some of which in unusual locations. One-piece back (satinwood on spruce); neck, heel and back of the head veneered with satinwood; scalloped fretboard.
Marcard, Mirecourt, c. 1830.
Scalloped fretboard, double soundboard and additional soundhole in the back. Bird’s-eye maple, pegs. Some traces seem to indicate that is was used with an “Aguado tripod”. Original brand mark.
Marchal, Mirecourt, c. 1815.
Highly typical, but late guitar of this important French maker, one of main protagonists of the transitional period from the French post-baroque five-course guitar to the modern six-string guitar. Intricate wooden inlays around the soundboard, solid maple back. Original brand mark.
Mitteis, Leitmeritz, c. 1828
Terz guitar (?), featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 164-165). Original engraved label.
Perrin fils, Mirecourt c. 1825
Plain, but very beautifully designed guitar. One-piece solid maple back and original rustic coffin case. Original brand mark.
Reisinger, Vienna, c. 1890.
Typical, very well made thirteen-string contra guitar with adjustable neck(s) and pegs. Non-original old case. Original engraved label.
Renault & Chatelain, Paris 1777.
Unaltered post-baroque five-course guitar. Original engraved label, brand mark and labeled case. (Not for sale.)
Renault & Chatelain, Paris 1770 ? (the last two digits are hardly legible).
Highly elaborate guitar with back and sides made of multiple strips of maple and “Pommelé”-mahogany, rich inlays around the soundboard, rose and fretboard. Altered to six strings in the most extraordinary manner by Lacote for the French composer and virtuoso Napoleon Coste, whose signature is incised into the back of the head. Original engraved label.
Ries, Vienna, c. 1825.
Earliest known guitar by this important maker. Plain terz guitar made of rather rough materials, red varnish on back and sides. Original engraved label. (Not for sale.)
(F.) Roudhloff, Mirecourt, c. 1820
Plain and highly typical lyre guitar. Original brand mark. (Not for sale.)
(F.) Roudhloff, Mirecourt, c. 1830.
Late guitar of one of the best French makers. Unusually designed inlays around the soundboard and rose, one-piece back (mahogany on spruce). Original brand mark.
(J.) Rudert, Vienna, c. 1818.
Plain and typical early Viennese school guitar. Two original engraved labels (cf. Stauffer & Co., p. 127).
Schenk, Vienna 1844.
Shield-shaped nine-string guitar with adjustable neck and pegs; solid rosewood back and sides. Original hand-written label. (Featured in Stauffer & Co., p. 101)
Schweitzer, Pest, c. 1828.
Terz guitar, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 166-167). Original engraved label.
(T.) Simon, Mittenwald 1819.
Nice guitar showing a strong Italian/Viennese influence. Peculiar “baroqueish” head-shape, ivory frets and one-piece maple back. Original engraved label.
Sobrinos de Domingo Esteso, Madrid 1949.
Typical classical guitar of the Madrid school, featuring an Indian rosewood back of the highest quality and additional inlays on the ribs; original machines. Probably made by Faustino Conde. Original printed label.
Stauffer & Co., Vienna 1827 or 1828.
Plain guitar with a set neck and pegs, featuring the most unusual and iconoclastic vibrating string-length: 660 mm. Original engraved label and seal.
(A.) Stauffer, Vienna, c. 1831.
Legnani model with adjustable neck and pegs, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 172-173). Original engraved label.
(A.) Stauffer, Vienna, c. 1837.
Eight-string guitar, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 192-193). (On hold.)
(G.) Stauffer, Vienna, c. 1820.
Six-string guitar with small vibrating string length, set neck and pegs. Featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 140-141). Original engraved label.
(G.) Stauffer, Vienna, c. 1825.
Highly important thirteen-string guitar - the oldest known of the type -, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 152-153). Original engraved label and seal. ( Not for sale )
Stöhr, Schwechat (Vienna) 1821.
Untypical six-string guitar, beautiful two-piece solid maple back. Featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 144-145). Original engraved label.
Stoss, Vienna 1821.
Very beautiful terz guitar by an important maker, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 142-143). Original engraved label.
Teufelsdorfer, Pest 1827.
Beautiful guitar by one the most important makers of the Viennese school, featured in Stauffer & Co. (pp. 162-163). (Not for sale.)
Teufelsdorfer, Pest, c. 1835.
(Coming soon.)
Thibout, Paris, C. 1825.
Plain but well designed guitar with very deeply flamed maple ribs and a one-piece back (maple on beech). Original engraved label.
Thielemann, Berlin 1808.
Very important guitar, featuring the oldest known original specific guitar tuning-machines, according to the maker’s own patent from 1806. Special shield-shaped body design, metal inlays. Original engraved label and signature on the inside of the treble-side rib. (Not for sale.)
(S.) Thumhart, München 1825.
Important German guitar (cf. Stauffer & Co., p. 56). Adjustable neck and experimental bridge; solid one-piece maple back. Original engraved label.
