Here’s something special, a lovely Romantic Era guitar built by Francois Tachet in Mirecourt, northeastern France, during the 1830s or early 1840s. Mirecourt has long been known for making musical instruments and lace; instruments from the area are often referred to as from the Mirecourt School. Louis Panormo was a contemporary, working in London. This Francois Tachet romantic guitar – at approximately 185 years old – is in good working order, and has had some expected service over the decades.
Romantic
This is one of our all-time favourites – a Louis Panormo guitar from 1841 with original, period-style coffin case and in fully playable condition! Louis Panormo was born in 1784, one of four sons of violin-maker, Vicenzo Panormo (1734-1813) who emigrated to England from Sicily. Vincenzo’s father was an apprentice of the Maestro himself: Antonio Stradivari. Louis became the most famous and respected of the Panormos, though all four brothers and nephews built guitars and violins for several decades, while others became respected musicians.
This instrument has sold
MORE →The Martin 518 Terz appeared in the Martin catalog from 1898 until 1989 and despite its long production run had one notable players, the great Marty Robbins. Sting has also used the Terz. The Terz is a small bodied instrument that’s tuned up a minor third, meaning the tuning is G-C-F-A#-D-G low to high. The shorter 21.375 inch scale makes this possible without excessive tension. The Martin 518 Terz design was influenced by Viennese Terz styles built by the Stauffer company C F Martin apprenticed with. There were also Italian Terz models with smaller bodies.
This instrument has sold
MORE →From time to time unusual instruments arrive here, like this English Guitar from the Pre-Romantic Era, likely built by Edward Light as a transition instrument in England around 1790. The term ‘English Guitar’ usually refers to an instrument like a cittern, but that instrument usually has four or five double courses. That closest instrument in modern use is the Irish Bouzouki. This interesting example also has a rounded back, similar to a Lute, but here the back is a section of a truncated cone, likely built by bending two larger piece of wood for the sides, joined to one flat centerpiece.
This instrument has sold
MORE →For the ‘La Romantica’ model, Jellinghaus begins with the work of Rene Francis Lacote, who built in Paris from 1785 to 1868. At the time, the guitar was becoming more and more popular, but the bracing designs limited the amount of volume it could produce – and consequently the size of the audience.
This instrument has sold
MORE →Here at The Twelfth Fret we frequently see original Romantic era instruments. Here, we’re looking at an impressive modern reproduction of a Rene Lacote guitar, named ‘La Romantica’ by Milestones of Music.
This instrument has sold
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