Notes

Location during instrument production

Michael Holmes of Mugwumps Online lists 3 different Adams entries, spanning the timeframe at right: Adams & Loffmark, Adams Bros. & Co., and Adams, Loffmark & Wright.

Known from a single listing in a 1938 Sotheby's auction: "An Italian guitar, the peghead with three extra strings, in rose and pinewood."

Two mandolinettos are known by this maker and this one harp guitar, of which the original neck is missing.  Curiously, the bridge shows that it had 5 sub-basses and 3 trebles! - likely a fascinating specimen if a complete one ever turns up. -GM

This is likely the "Carl A. Anderson" described as making a "stringed harp-guitar" called a "Zion's Harp" in the 1850-1940 San Francisco Musical Trade journal.  All known Carl Anderson instruments have the "C" middle initial.

Angerer was a pupil of the Viennese makers Ferdinad and Leopold Feilnreiter.

Ivan F. Arkhuzen of St. Petersburg came second in Makaroff's competition. Unfortunately, there were only six guitars entered into the competition and so there was not much choice for the nine panelists. - Stephen Sedgwick

A whole family of luthiers, originally from Denmark.  Robert Arhuzen was arguably the best.  Spelling is an issue, since we get it back from the Cyrillics, but in the original tongue it would be (probably) Arhuzen. -Oleg Timofeyev

Vicente Arias made guitars around 1870. He lived and worked in Ciudad Real, and at the end of his career he had a workshop in Madrid. His instruments display a remarkable mastery, comparable to those of Antonio Torres and Manuel Ramirez. Some famous guitarists like Francisco Tarrega played the guitars of Vicente Arias. In the course of his career Arias received various prestigious prizes at exhibitions in Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels and Buenos Aires. According to an up-to-date census, there are 24 guitars by Vicente Arias in existence. -from site of Raphaella Smits

See Blog Feature

Bates' "harpitar" has a strange guitar neck, but no unfretted strings.

Collector Rainer Krause says that Bauer worked for a time for Stauffer, and this instrument was likely built between 1840 and 1850.

114 rue de la marlière

Mouscron, Belgium

1821-1887

Studied violinmaking under Wilhelm Rupprecht. His single extant harp guitar is based on a Scherzer 10-string.

Special Feature!

Breyer Hermanos

A publisher of tango sheet music and also a music store

See The Birth of the American 12-string Guitar

Cesare Candi was an important  musical instrument maker who worked in the last quarter of the 19^th century up to well in the 2^nd quarter of the 20^th century. Besides instruments of the violin family he made excellent mandolins and guitars (6-string and models with additional bass strings) in the Italian style and tradition.
Cesare Candi was born in 1869 in Bologna and was trained there as a musical instrument maker in the atelier (workshop) of Raffaele Fiorini. Giovanni Antonioni states further in his reference  book ‘Dizionario dei costruttori di strumenti a pizzico in Italia’, (published by Turris, 1996) that Cesara Candi moved to Genoa in 1888, where he first had a workshop in the ‘Piazza Sarzano No. 26’ that later moved to the ‘Via Porta Soprana No. 9’ address.
Cesare Candi was awarded several honorable prizes, like the 1^st prizes in 1892 at the exhibitions in Genoa and Bologna, and the 1^st prize in Cremona in 1937. It is believed that the Candi atelier manufactured about 100 guitars, 29 lutes and 100 mandolins.
Cesare Candi died in Genoa in 1947. -Alex Timmerman

The latter 3 may have been built in conjunction with his brother below

Born Nov. 27, 1865, Oreste was the brother of Cesare, above.

Catania's fanciful harp guitar graphic used as his logo may have been a real instrument!  One very similar was found. 
See Carmelo Catania: From Iconography to Reality

Founded in 1893 in St. Paul, MN by Henry Dahlman, Swan H. Peterson, L.H. Lundgren, Peter Dahlman, and Amos C. Sardeson. By 1895 they had re-located to Minneapolis and still listed there in 1899. - Michael Holmes

Gerard J. Deleplanque from Lille, France, was a maker of citterns; he has a surviving arch-cittern with a keyed box system from 1792. But some ten years before that, in 1782 he built a ten stringed guitar. - Stephen Sedgwick

Bernard I was taught by Georg Thir in Vienna. In 1812 he opened a workshop of his own. He was preoccupied with acoustic studies. In 1831 he had the so-called acoustic guitar patented, after which he chiefly made guitars and zithers.

Bernard II also built harp guitars, resulting in some confusion about dates.

See Blog Feature

10-string guitar model by "built in Modena in the years 1853-1883." - "Classical Guitar in Russia and the Soviet Union" by Yablokov

This instrument is an 18th century 10-string guitar, with 10 single string courses. It pre-dates the Carulli-era 10-string guitar and must have co-existed with the very earliest 6-course guitars invented. - Len Verrett
Only two archi-guitars on this type are reported, and no other instruments by  Fieviz are known in private or public collections. - Jean Michel Renard
Note it's similarity to the Deleplanque instrument above, from the same city and period. - GM

As mentioned in Makarov's Memoirs, Fisher's name was given as the best guitar maker in Vienna (as Staufer the elder had stopped making guitars in 1848), and Makarov had a 9-string guitar built.  He decided that Scherzer's were better.

See Blog Feature
This is the "Guitarpa" displayed at the Great Exposition in London in 1851, which scholars have speculated might have influenced the designs of the mandolins and harp guitars of Orville Gibson. - GM

His instruments are labeled "Antonio Monzino & Figli"or "Monzino e Garlandini Milano" (sold through the Monzino & Sons shop)

Gamberini ran the plucked stringed area of Mozzani's School-Workshop around 1930, then later joined Mozzani privately when the school closed. -GM

Only one instrument similar to this patent drawing is known - made by Martin (see Martin). - GM

The label of 1st specimen reads: Fabbrica di Chitarre-mandolini, Mandole-luiti 
Strumenti ad Arco, Corde Armoniche Ed Accessori – Specialità in Mandolini Lombardi sistema napoletano
Strumenti per Solisti
-cambi e riparazioni-
MILANO - Via Bernardino Corio,1 -MILANO -Benoît Meulle-Stef

Gibson Special Feature!
  (also see the Gibson section of Iconography)

Gil, Manuel

Neither one of the two extant specimens are labeled.  The left specimen was sold on EBay as such, presumably with input from a vintage guitar expert.  The right specimen has a similar aesthetic and design in many ways and has a similar bridge.

Their instruments were usually sold through the shop of Monzino & Sons.  Some instruments were built in collaboration with his father, Tullio. (thanks to Roger Belloni for information)

See Brown, Carl and
The Birth of the American 12-string Guitar

The extant "basslaute" has a faded "Gotz" inscribed on the soundboard, but is not the Johann Götz of Viennese, ca. 1814-1827.

The label inside shows "Bohmen" but then reads: "Anton Hüller Graslitz K& K Hoflieferant und Kammerlieferant Seiner K u. K Hoheit des hochw. durchlauchigsten Herrn Erzherzog Eugen v. Österreich"(Austria)

192 Grand Street, New York, NY

An early predecessor of the American "12-string guitar"- called "harp-guitar" due to the extra tone and volume of the 4 doubled lower courses.
See The Birth of the American 12-string Guitar

7 sub-bass Viennese kontragitarre

1/20/1864-6/16/1851. Studied violinmaking under Ignaz J. Bucher.

See America ’s First True Harp Guitar

Special Feature!

"Guitarren mit 4 Basssaiten" (no images) Source: Der Gitarrefreund

Hilanj made violins, zither and guitars. A schlagzither in the Leipzig museum is attributed to c.1845. Date of this harp guitar is unknown.

See the George Dudley Feature and
The Birth of the American 12-string Guitar

Holzapfel was a German violin maker who made some Stella-like 12-string guitars alone and with his partner 

See The House of Stathopoulo Harp Guitar
In 1917 Epi Stathopoulo began labeling instruments with the House of Stathopoulo brand.  In 1924 he introduced the Epiphone brand, and in 1928 the Epiphone company was born.

Graslitz was a town in former "Boehmen" which belonged to Austria till 1918; then belonged to the new founded state of "Czecheslovakia" from 1918), Czech Republic (the actual name after splitting Czechia and Slovakia into two separate states in 1993). -Martin Albert

I now believe this to be a c.1840 Otto Selling instrument later repaired by Klingberg. -GM

See Blog Feature

Lecchi was one of three students of the great luthier Cesare Candi. - Alberto Giordano

Ledhuy called his triple-neck instrument the "Lyre-Organisée" (Organized Lyre).
See Blog Feature

First based in New York, Levin patented a guitar & mandolin double-neck on Dec 21, 1897 (see Patents). He then relocated to Sweden where his company produced "Scholander-lutes" and harp guitars (information provided by Paul Holland).

"Bassguitarren mit 4 bis 9 Kontrasaiten, Bassguitarren in Wappenform, Basslauten mit 4 bis 9 Kontrasaiten (no images). Source: Der Gitarrefreund

(American Conservatory, College Line, Lakeside, Washburn brands)
(See also Washburn)
See Featured Harp Guitar of the Month

An Italian violin builder from Milan, 1855-1930 - Peter Smolders

Special Feature!

Bruno built the "chitarpas" designed by Italo Meschi

Special Feature!

This brand name has a very convoluted history. Regardless, this harp guitar is believed to be Larson-built. 

Meinel & Herold 

The M & H catalog pages are dated 1940.

Unknown how this Meinel relates to the other.

Düsseldorf

A celebrated Italian guitar virtuoso who some consider the Italian equivalent of Tarrega. Though he borrowed his basic designs from Schenck, I consider him the Italian Knutsen - a wild imagination with seemingly no two harp guitars alike!

Nuñez, Francisco

Like many of the Lacote instruments, this instrument was modified by Coste.

Founded in 1848, the "k&"k" on the front of their catalog is denotes the "Hungarian-Austrian monarchy" that ended at the close of WW1 in 1918. -Christian Steinbrecher

Copied from, or built by, Puntolillo? 

See Knutsen Patents

Clearly influenced by Candi, nothing further is known of this fascinating maker.

This well known, highly regarded, and extremely prolific maker made "bass-guitars," "bogengitarres," "Nordic lutes" and even a lyre-guitar - of every possible design.

According to scholar Stephen Sedgwick, Ramirez built at least one 9-string and one 11-string harp guitar (the latter barely discernible in the pictured shop window on the right). He adds that Segovia's famous Ramirez was originally an 11-string.

Special Feature!

A split-off company of Wulschner. Other Wuslchner companies were also involved in the production of these instruments. See the Wulschner entries below.

harp guitars

The Regal brand and logo were sold to a new group of businessmen. Eventually that company produced its own, completely different harp guitars.

Reisinger is said to have helped modify the Scherzer 10-course harp guitar into the "Schrammel guitar" with up to 12 sub-basses.

Ludwig Reisinger was a student of Johann Bucher from 1877 to 1887. In his last year, 1887, he opened his own workshop in Vienna. His guitars followed the Stauffer method very closely, based upon the Luigini Legnani model guitar, still using the free floating adjustable neck. There are at least two known harp guitars made by Reisinger. He was a well respected late 19th century Viennese luthier who also made zithers and violins. - Stephen Sedgwick

His known harp guitar is labeled "Antonio Monzino & Figli" (sold through the Monzino & Sons shop)

His known harp guitar is labeled Antonio Monzino & Figli" (sold through the Monzino & Sons shop)

The brothers D.& A. Roudhloff were prolific makers in London who copied both the styles of Panormo and Lacôte with equal success. The "improved Melophonic Guitar" was a popular model offering two extra strings in the bass, a short playing stringlength of 599mm, and was built either with the traditional rosewood back and sides or in solid pine for the belly, back and sides. -Ian Watchorn

Schenk, whose father was a guitar player and teacher, was a disciple of Johann Georg Staufer. The "lyra" form (far left) was built for the Vienna World Exhibition in 1839. He also may have made the first "bogenguitarres" (the hollow bass arm and headstock forms). Both of these incredible designs directly influenced Mozzani decades later.  He also built the 10-course invention (far right) of Croatian guitarist Ivan Padovec in 1841.

Scherzer was known to have won first prize for ‘best guitar’ at the celebrated guitar competition in Brussels 1852 organized by Makaroff.
Revered especially in Russia during the late 19th century Scherzer has remained relatively unknown to modern guitar enthusiasts. Although there are few surviving instruments, his reputation is due for re-examination. Having had the pleasure of studying many of the known examples of his work I feel he should be regarded amongst the very finest guitar makers of all time. The celebrated guitarist, Mertz, is known to have used Scherzer guitars. - Gary Southwell

Regensburg

"Bassguitarren" (no image)  Source: Der Gitarrefreund

Founded in 1854. One of the guitar brand names was "Cid." -Christian Steinbrecher

Otto Fredrik Selling lived and was active as a luthier in Stockholm during the 3^rd quarter of the 19^th century. He made both guitars and bowed instruments and there are indications that he made pianos too.  Three 6-string guitars and four preserved bass-guitars (three 10-string examples and one 12-string example) by Selling are known. Otto F. Selling build his guitars in the Viennese style but differ from those made by other makers through small details, like beautifully carved wood on the bridge. An eye-catching aspect of the Selling guitar is the long characteristic headstock with carved sideward violoncello scroll that carries back-standing tuning pegs. This is seen on five of the seven known guitars by Otto Frederik Selling.  -Alex Timmerman

Part of the MUSIMA group; produced instruments until the mid-1990s. -Christian Steinbrecher

Son of the famous J. G. Staufer, J.A. may have had more to do with the training of the guitar pupils, like harp guitar makers Scherzer and Schenk.  He also built (or sold) nearly all of the Staufer harp guitars. Certain pictured specimens at right may be suspect.

This little known American maker copied Scherr's well-known "patent harp-guitar" of the 1830s.

Brand name of Sears Roebuck & Co, possible made by Harmony

Swosil was likely a pupil of Scherzer and built a number of these instruments with 13 strings. The guitar played by Strohmayer in the Schrammel Quartet photos is by Josef Swosil, Vienna 1879 and is preserved in the collection of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg . -Ian Watchorn

According to jfrenchbanjos.com, the label reads:
Made By Henry G. Tabbert
Maker of Mandolins and Guitars
Dec. 31, 1900 Cleveland, Ohio

A total of three 11-course harp guitars are known by this famed maker of Spanish guitars. - Stephen Sedgwick 

Image of Uhlmeyer's shop here.

Unknown is this is an original 7th floating string.

"Kontra-Bassguitarren" (no image, claims a patent on this)  Source: Der Gitarrefreund

According to Mugwumps, a J.W. Jenkins brand (seen in the 1930 Tonk Bros catalog)

No examples known. The 5 instruments pictured from existing catalogs, and 2 intriguing mentions of a "Lyra-Gitarre" and "Lyra-Mandoline" in his 1909 catalog. -Christian Steinbrecher

There are three separate split-off companies of the original Emil Wulshner company. Strangely, the clues point to all three being involved in the production of the strange Regal harp guitars with the short bass strings. At least some of these instruments are believed to be Larson built.

Wurzelholz

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