Six double course guitar by Francisco Sanguino, Sevilla 1770, the tapered head with shaped outline and rosewood face plate bearing twelve turned pegs mounted with pearl eyes, the fretboard bearing seven brass frets with a further four ebony frets on the table, the two-piece cypress back inlaid with five symmetrical geometric patterns with ebony lines, also a continuous band to the centre seam and edges of alternating boxwood and ebony decoration, the table of fine grain spruce with scrolling foliate rosewood inlay highlighted with pearl diamonds and hearts, the sound hole surround of ebony inlaid with pearl petals, the edges inlaid with continuous pearl diamonds set within an ebony and boxwood border, in a fitted wooden case Inscribed Francisco Sanguino, Me Fecit, en Sevilla ano de 1770 on a label to the inner back Overall length 39.25", 99.7cm; string length 24 7/8", 63.8cm *Sanguino was an important Spanish maker, only six of his guitars are known to survive. The design of the back inlays demonstrate a clear link with the 16th century tradition of decoration on the vihuela See 'The Vihuela de Mano and the Spanish Guitar' , 2002, by José Romanillos Vega & Marian Harris Winspear, page 377 **This guitar was purchased from a Mr W.W. Grover in Harrow 1976 Ask a Question

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