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Guitar

ca. 1835
Not on view
Rene Lacôte was the most well-known maker of the guitar in France during the early nineteenth century. His guitars were endorsed by several famous performers including Fernando Sor, Ferdinando Carulli, Zani de Ferranti, and others. The mechanism for the tuners are housed within the headstock, a design by Lacôte that is quite elegant. The guitar bears a label with the signature of Fernando Sor. Several surviving instruments by Lacôte are similarly signed, suggesting that this was an endorsement from the famous player. The guitar was once owned and used by twentieth-century guitarist Julian Bream.

Technical description: Six-string guitar; two-piece pine soundboard with an ebony binding and an alternating bwbwbwbwbwb purfling; soundhole diamer of 78.42 mm with ebony binding and alternating wb (10x) purfling; ebony pin bridge with circular tips and mother-of-pearl dots; two-piece rosewood back with ebony binding; rosewood ribs; neck with rosewood veneer; dark-stained hardwood slotted headstock; ebony fingerboard with seventeen German silver frets; Lacote inset tuners (Daniel Wheeldon 2016)

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Guitar
  • Maker: Pierre-René Lacôte (French, Paris 1785–1855 Paris)
  • Date: ca. 1835
  • Geography: Paris, France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Spruce, rosewood, ebony
  • Dimensions: Total Length: 924 mm
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Clara Mertens Bequest, in memory of André Mertens, 1992
  • Object Number: 1992.1.1
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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