{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O58910"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58910/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O58910","accessionNumber":"219-1882","objectType":"English guitar","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The English guitar was a fashionable instrument for ladies in the British Isles from about 1750 until 1810. Robert Bremner wrote a tutor, or instruction manual, which was published in Edinburgh in 1758. This example has six courses of strings tuned in the key of C major: the two in the bass are single and the other four double. The fingerboard has a series of screw-holes for a capo, a bar-like device which makes it easier to play in different keys. Brass tuning pegs took the strain of wire strings better than wooden ones and those shaped like rings and lined with ivory, like this example, were more comfortable to grip.","physicalDescription":"\"Model with pointed shoulders. Purfled [edged] back of two pieces of sycamore. Pine belly edged with a dark wood studded with mother-of-pearl roundels. The stamped copper gilt rose is similar to that of 11/5 [English Guitar by Frederick Hintz, about 1760, Museum no. 37-1870], though from a different die. The neck is hollowed along the bass side. The ivory fingerboard, with shaped end, has thirteen full frets and two short, of brass. The head contains original brass machines with ivory axles and ivory ring-shaped fingerpieces. A square finial with mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell decoration\" Anthony Baines,<i> Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments</i> (London, 1998), p. 51.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28690"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sycamore","id":"AAT12357"},{"text":"pine","id":"AAT12620"},{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"gold leaf","id":"x33207"}],"techniques":[{"text":"planing","id":"AAT53863"},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"veneering","id":"AAT53878"},{"text":"joining","id":"AAT137062"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Planed and purfled [edged] sycamore; planed pine belly with mother-of-pearl and dark wood edging; carved ivory fingerboard, gilt copper rose, brass frets and tuning pegs with carved ivory lining; mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell veneered finial.","categories":[{"text":"Musical instruments","id":"THES48919"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES299345"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"English guitar","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"about 1770","earliest":"1770-01-01","latest":"1770-12-31"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"79","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"total","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"35.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"length of belly","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"7.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"31.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"String length","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Taken from Anthony Baines, <i>Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments</i> (London, 1998), p. 51.","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This instrument was part of the collections of  Carl Engel (1818-1882) and was bought for £2 - 10 - 0 (£2.50p)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"English guitar, sycamore back and pine  belly, ivory fingerboard, English, about 1770.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 51"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"ENGLISH GUITAR \r\nEnglish; about 1770 \r\nIvory finger board, pine body and sycamore back. Brass tuning pegs, similar to those used on an English Guitar made by Michael Rauche. \r\n \r\nNon-Keyboard Catalogue No.: 11/6 \r\n \r\nThe English Guitar was a type of cittern that was tuned in the key of C major (c-e-g-c'-e'-g'), fashionable in England from about 1750 until 1810. A tutor was written by Robert Bremner and published in Edinburgh in 1758. \r\n\r\n219-1882","date":{"text":"pre September 2000","earliest":null,"latest":"2000-08-31"}}],"partNumbers":["219-1882"],"accessionNumberNum":"219","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1882,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-23","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-16","availableToBook":true}}