Please complete the form to email this item.

Guitar

Guitar

  • Place of origin:

    Aberdeen, South Africa (made)

  • Date:

    late 18th century (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Rudiman, Joseph (maker)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Wood, ebony, ivory and tortoiseshell, with a gilt stamped metal rose

  • Museum number:

    375-1882

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Download image

The English guitar was in vogue from about 1750 until 1790, and was particularly popular among fashionable ladies in both Scotland and England. The modern Portuguese guitar is descended from this type of instrument. Although it was made in about 1780 or later, this instrument was slightly more old-fashioned in that it was plucked with nails rather than struck with keys, and tuned with wooden pegs rather than small bolts that were turned by a watch-key. This English guitar was made by Joseph Rudiman (1733–1810), widely regarded as the best Scotch violin and cello maker of his day.

Physical description

English guitar with a pear shaped body, with 10 metal strings, 8 of which are tuned in pairs in unison, and with a metal rose. It has a panel of mother-of-pearl on the back which is inscribed. It is decorated with a red tortoiseshell fingerboard with silver frets and four capotasto holes.

Place of Origin

Aberdeen, South Africa (made)

Date

late 18th century (made)

Artist/maker

Rudiman, Joseph (maker)

Materials and Techniques

Wood, ebony, ivory and tortoiseshell, with a gilt stamped metal rose

Dimensions

Length: 73 cm maximum, Length: 34 cm belly, Width: 30 cm

Descriptive line

English guitar with pear shaped body, made by Joseph Rudiman, Aberdeen, Scotland, late 18th century.

Categories

Musical instruments

Collection code

FWK

Download image
Qr_O62524
Ajax-loader