Cypress back and sides, spruce soundboard, José Pagés, Spain (Cadiz), 1798

"Back in two pieces of Spanish cypress separated by a thin strip of darker wood. The sides are also of cypress. Belly of a single piece of spruce, double purfled with a darker wood. The soundhole is surrounded with a chequer pattern of inlaid mother-of-pearl and dark woods. The bridge is of the Spanish type and has holes for six double courses of strings. Under the lower part of the belly is a simple fan-barring of three radiating bars. This is light bracing in a star formation under the upper bout. The side linings are of individual blocks and the neck block is of a slipper pattern. A thin raised fingerboard of rosewood, with eighteen frets, is a later addition. The wide wedge-shaped head is trilled with twelve pegholes and a suspending hole." Anthony Baines, Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), pp. 59- 60.


Extract from a lecture by V&A conservator Reg Dee “Restoration of musical instruments 1964 – 68” at the UKIC/ V&A Christmas Symposium on Early Musical Instruments, 15th December 1983:
"From time to time during the 1964-68 programme, many instruments needed surface cleaning due to accumulated grime, acquired during the many years the instruments had been in storage or travelling the country on loan. An example of this is an early Spanish guitar (415- 1905). In this case, the grime had become engrained into the surface of the wood. This was rectified by the use of "furniture reviver" (a recipe developed by the V&A Conservation Department which has proved highly successful). This consists of two parts Turpentine (not white spirit), two parts malt vinegar, two parts of methylated spirits and one part of boiled linseed oil. The mixture should be stored ln a glass container. It should be applied with a shaped pad, mad e of fine wire wool (00 guage) or, if the grime is less hard, with a wad of cotton wool. People with sensitive skins should use gloves as this can cause skin-rash. This mixture, when applied, softens old wax and removes the old grime fairly quickly except in the most stubborn cases when several applications may be necessary. After the initial treatment, a final swabbing is necessary to remove any last traces of grime. When drying-out is completed, a fresh coating of beeswax-based polish will preserve the surface."

Given to the Museum by Mrs W.A.Cockerell.

This instrument was given to the Museum in 1905 by Mrs William A.Cockerell, 1 Halkin Place, Belgrave Square, SW, RP T83029/1905
Case destroyed 1933 B.o.S. RP 33/3166
"Guitar of pine, mahogany and rosewood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Inside is a label inscribed JOSE PAGES ME HIZO EN CADIZ ANO DE 1798. The body is of pinewood, inlaid round the soundhole with two bands of small lozenges and below with arabesque ornament in rosewood and mother-of-pearl. The finger-board is of mahogany partly veneered with rosewood. There were originally twelve strings, all of which are missing. One peg remains. Ten pegs have since been sent, seven of plain wood and three inlaid with ivory. Spanish (Cadiz); 1798. Strings all missing. Front and back split and otherwise damaged. Case much damaged; part missing."

José Pagés (active 1790-1830) was based in Cadiz, where he and his brother, Juan, were the leading guitar makers. Dionisio Aguado (1784-1849), Spain's foremost guitar performer-cum-composer during the 1830s and 1840s, particularly recommended their instruments. This example, made in 1798, is fitted with six courses of double strings, like Spanish instruments of this period. However, the shape of the body and rosette, and the internal structure, anticipate the 'Romantic guitar', a version with six strings, a smallish body and light sound, which was highly fashionable throughout Europe from about 1815 until the early 1860s.

415-1905