WRITING INSIDE GUITAR

[George Roberts]

This is a guitar that I have owned for many years.  Recently the bridge split just in front of the saddle.  Before trying to remove the bridge, I looked inside with a mirror and discovered writing on the inside of the top.  The writing is in pencil, and is just in front of the brace that is in front of the bridge plate.

My son was able to take multiple pictures with his cell phone, and then "stitch" them together on his computer.  I think I can see the words "Adolf" and "Violin" but can't seem to make much out of the rest of it.  Does this look at all familiar to anyone?

[George Roberts]

The composite picture was 9.2 MB

[George Roberts]

Having trouble downloading the pictures.

[onewent]

George, it's difficult to read, but the script looks like the old German script that, even if you know German, is hard to read ;-)

With the info provided, it appears to be a 19th century German-made 'parlor' guitar with Brazilian rosewood back and sides.

Tom

[Roger Häggström]

Don't know much about the writing, but the guitar itself is a really good one! Solid BRW in sides and back are very rare on European made guitars like this. It's almost always a veneer and not solid wood. Rosewood was very expensive in Europe at the time. The pearl inlays in the rosette are also top-of-the line, the ebony fretboard too. Nice extra deep sides makes for a good sounding parlor guitar.

As far as I can tell from the pictures, the frets are T-frets and not bar frets, so the guitar is not from the 1800's, probably early 1900. Looks like the coil on the tuners are below the cog (the "other" way around compared with modern guitars), that makes it older than around 1920.

Take good care of it :-)

[George Roberts]

Hey Tom and Roger,

Thanks for the input and help.  I was kind of hoping that it might be some sort of common usage as in:

"......... ........... faciebat anno 1702 in Verona"

There is one clearer word on the far bass side.  It is difficult to photograph because of the angle from the sound hole at the narrow waist.  If I can get a clear picture, I'll post it.

[Redacted]

Invert the colors. The negative effect can give some contrast.

[George Roberts]

Thanks Redacted.  My son says "Why didn't I think of that?"

[Mike Kolb]

Maybe a bit off the topic, but I enjoy re-hairing violin/cello/bass bows and one of the trends that seems to have taken hold is writing little "messages in a bottle" to the next person who re-hairs the instrument!

When found, they're usually written in pencil on the underside of the ebony/MOP slide on the frog.  Wish I'd taken a shot of the last one encountered a few months back, but here's a reasonable facsimile.

Sure, it's all a bit silly but, nonetheless, it's harmless fun!