618 :: Mid 17th Century Italian five course guitar, probably Venice, the head with a shaped outline bearing ten ebony pegs, the front of the head, back of the head and back of the neck ebonised and inlaid with foliate ivory decoration, the ebony fingerboard with central ivory string banding bearing gut frets, also with four ebony frets running onto the table, the five-section back of alternating wood, the darker panels inlaid with foliate boxwood scrolls and ivory stringing, the ebonised sides with parallel ivory stringing, the fine grain spruce table with boxwood string banding to the edges and with scratch carved ebonised foliate decoration along with alternating ebony and ivory inlay to the sound hole surround, the ebony bridge flanked by fretted moustaches, later protective hard case Overall length 37", 95.2cm
Mid 17th Century Italian five course guitar, probably Venice, the head with a shaped outline bearing ten ebony pegs, the front of the head, back of the head and back of the neck ebonised and inlaid with foliate ivory decoration, the ebony fingerboard with central ivory string banding bearing gut frets, also with four ebony frets running onto the table, the five-section back of alternating wood, the darker panels inlaid with foliate boxwood scrolls and ivory stringing, the ebonised sides with parallel ivory stringing, the fine grain spruce table with boxwood string banding to the edges and with scratch carved ebonised foliate decoration along with alternating ebony and ivory inlay to the sound hole surround, the ebony bridge flanked by fretted moustaches, later protective hard case Overall length 37", 95.2cm; current string length 25 6/8", 65.1cm *Sold with a copy of the Harvey Hope album - "Czech Guitar Music, c1700", which this guitar is illustrated on the front.
Estimate: £15000-25000
Preview available soon.