Item 09
Price: $115,000
Appraised Value 2016: $100,000
Appraised Value 2021: $120,000
Few Francisco González guitars are known to exist. This 1869 guitar was built at a time when the Torres influence had probably reached Madrid, but its older style plantilla, longitudinally and laterally domed soundboard, deep body and simple five fan-strut bracing radiating from a central point, show that González had not yet adopted the Torres concepts.
The soundboard, made from three pieces of unmatched European spruce, is highly arched across the width of the upper bout. The very wide rosette (175mm diameter) consists of several rings with two main groupings in black, red, green and natural colors. The mature hue of the colors and the ancient aesthetic combine to give a beautiful and patriarchal look. The carved bridge is ebony with its tie-block having a bone string protection strip along its leading edge. The soundboard edge purfling is multiple strips in black, red and green which coordinates with the rosette. Back and sides are Brazilian rosewood with an inlaid maple strip at the lower junction of the sides. Neck and head are cedar and the head is fitted with old Jerome tuning machines with bone grips. The fingerboard is ebony with medium-height frets. Harmonic bars and crossbars have scalloped ends. The top lining is of individual triangular blocks and the back lining is kerfed. The heel-block has a long foot supporting the back so the usual upper crossbar is not installed. The two soundboard seams are reinforced with parchment and the back’s seam is reinforced with cross-grained cedar strips.
This guitar has a controlled, mature, clear, balanced and singing voice. Higher notes are sustained as fundamentals rather than breaking down into harmonics, and midrange notes are enhanced by sympathetic vibrations. The 146-year-old wood seems to impart a seasoned and sweet timbre that is a joy to listen to, and the lively soundboard makes tone production easy and rewarding. The guitar has been restored by luthier Jeffrey R. Elliott to a functioning beautiful instrument and it continues to make music and enrich guitar history.
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