English guitar

Description

English guitar ('guittar' or 'cetra') lacking tuning-head and bridge. Six courses, wire-strung; the lowest two single, the upper four double; tuned c, e, g, c1, e1, g1. Body of pear-shaped outline with two-piece flat front of wide to fine grain at edges; painted purfling: two lines at edges and three around soundhole. Domed ormolu rose in the form of eight-pointed foliate star, set in turned ivory collar. Nine ivory hitchpins at tail and ivory saddle and tailpin. Dark golden-brown varnish. Ribs of maple with figure of moderate curl; one-piece back of maple of strong curl; two lines of painted purfling. Maple neck of slight curl. Fingerboard veneered in tortoiseshell with ebony edging and mother-of-pearl ornaments at both ends; twelve frets, the first five with holes for capo tasto drilled on bass side of centre line. Tuning-head missing.