![['English Guitar' circa 1760.]](img_eng_guitar/engguit.jpg)
Christie's valued this instrument at US$2,500-3,300.
English guitar |
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This is a picture of an "English Guitar" (circa 1760)
that also went up for auction at Christie's, July 8, 1999. While much later than
the Renaissance cittern, it is included here as an example of the types of instruments
that grew out of the evolution of the cittern and changing musical tastes.
This instrument possesses two unique features: (1) the instrument has a detachable
mechanism for striking the strings with felted hammers, operated by seven ivory keys; and
(2) the pegbox uses watch-key brass tuners and a tuning key rather than pegs to tune
the strings. The
fingerboard on this particular instrument is made of tortoiseshell and has only 12
brass frets. Christie's valued this instrument at US$2,500-3,300. |