19th century French guitar labelled Gerard, Manufacturer of ...

Hammer

£1,500

19th century French guitar labelled Gerard, Manufacturer of Guitars, Violin, Tenors...Soho Square, London; Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood, many large repaired cracks to back, further restored hairline cracks to side; Top: natural spruce, repaired crack to lower bout bass hand side and upper bout treble side, play wear throughout, mastic and pearl fern inlay to edges and sound hole rosette; Neck: ebonised, rose inlay to face of head; Fretboard: ebony; Frets: worn; Case: fitted ebonised case bearing a plaque inscribed 'Hylda Willis, in Remembrance of her Grandmother and Sponsor M.A. Ori O'Hegenheim'; Nut width: 45mm; Scale length: 590mm; Overall condition: good/restored

*Sold with a handwritten letter from the great granddaughter of M.A. Ori O'Hegenheim, to the new owner, dated 16th July 1976. She comments 'I am so very pleased that the guitar has gone to someone who really appreciates it.' She goes on to state that Ori O'Hegenheim was French and came from Normandy. She would have used the guitar around 1840 and upon her death in 1898 it was given to her daughter Hylda Willis, hence the case inscription.

Ivory exemption submission reference NTPF61HB