C.F. Martin guitar interest - Rare violin made by John H. De...

Estimate

£4,000 - £6,000

C.F. Martin guitar interest - Rare violin made by John H. Deichman, Nazareth PA, 15th July 1914, numbered 2 to the inside label, within fitted hard case

*A rare violin made by former Martin Guitar factory foreman John Henry Deichman in 1914.

This violin was part of a collection of instruments belonging to John Pearse, presenter of the popular 1960s BBC2 television Guitar Tuition series. During the time Pearse briefly worked for Martin, he befriended Deichman, later acquiring the violin from the Deichman estate.

Following Pearse's death, the vendor, who had business relations with John Pearse dating back to the early 70s, acquired this violin at an auction of his estate in Germany, where he settled in 2002.

John Henry Deichman was a significant figure in Martin's history and is credited for being a major influence behind all major designs at Martin from the 1920s to the mid 1940s. During this period, Deichman drafted the Dreadnought guitar, a design that would become the most copied acoustic in the world.

Sold with this lot is a copy of 'Frets' magazine, May 1988, 'the Guitar Collectors Issue' covering the 'Martin Dreadnought Story'. Among the many in-depth articles, is one written by John Pearse entitled 'Dawn of the Dreadnought', starting on page 48. This article and many others mention John Deichman's influence and significance in Martin Guitars extensive history.