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Guitar

ca. 1837
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684
The guitar builder C. F. Martin established a workshop in New York City in 1833 upon emigrating from Markneukirchen, Germany. He later moved his company to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where it has continuously operated ever since. This extraordinary instrument with an ivory fingerboard and bridge and decorative abalone and mother-of-pearl is one of the most elaborate instruments that he produced.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Guitar
  • Maker: Christian Frederick Martin (Markneukirchen, Saxony 1796–1873 Nazareth, Pennsylvania)
  • Date: ca. 1837
  • Geography: New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Spruce, rosewood, cedar, ebony, pearl, abalone, ivory
  • Dimensions: 36 5/8 × 11 9/16 × 3 1/4 in. (93 × 29.4 × 8.3 cm)
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
  • Credit Line: Gift of Peter Szego, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2017
  • Object Number: 2017.174
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
More Artwork
Guitar, Christian Frederick Martin  American, Wood, maple, spruce, abalone, ebony, metal, brass, ivory, American
Christian Frederick Martin
George Wachsteter
ca. 1838
Presentation Sword and Scabbard of Brigadier General Daniel Davis (1777–1814) of the New York Militia, John Targee  American, Steel, gold, silver, American, New York
Silversmith John Targee
ca. 1815–17
Guitar, Manuel Ramírez  Spanish, Spruce, rosewood, cedar, ebony, ivory or bone, Spanish
Manuel Ramírez
Santos Hernández
1912
Pair of  Figures, Ceramic, Nayarit
Nayarit
200 BCE–200 CE
Guitar, Christian Frederick Martin  American, Spruce, rosewood, ebony, nickel-silver, American
Christian Frederick Martin
before 1867

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