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21 Guitar makers in Spain in 1864

by: Randy Osborne - Published 08/22/2024 11:42 AM

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This from the "El Indicador de España y de sus posesiones ultramarinas1864" ("The indicator of Spain and its overseas possessions") The great value of this book is that, no other concrete documentation of the city by city listing of guitar makers exists until 1879 with the "Anuario del comercio, de la industria, de la magistratura y de la administracion", the listings continue until 1910 in the Biblioteca Nacional de Espana de Madrid.

 

28 Guitar makers in Spain in 1864 (revised from 21 Guitar makers September 19, 2024)

 

BALEARES islands

Casanovas, Francisco, guitarrero, 103, 78.

Font, Vicente, guitarrero, M. 103, 68.

 

PROVINCIA DE CADIZ

Bonichi, Francisco, guitarrero, Palma 7

 

PROVINCIA DE CORDOBA

Luque, Rafael de, guitarrero, Pimenteria

Rey, Ramon, guitarrero, San Francisco

 

PROVINCIA DE LERIDA

Font, Manuel guitarrero. Mayor.

Fort, Juan, guitarrero. Hospital

 

PROVINCIA DE MADRID

Campos, Vuida. de, guitarrero, Cadiz, 16 The widow of Benito Campos, a good friend of Dionisio Aguado

 

Carracedo, Gregorio, guitarrero, Urosas, 12.

 

Gonzalez, Andres, guitarrero, Latoneros, 1 - Francisco Gonzalez was at this address in 1862, that was not known by the late Jose Romanillos, in his great Spanish luthiers dictionary: "The Vihuela de Mano and The Spanish Guitar"., though he knew of the usage of the property in 1863 and 1864. He says that Francisco was still using the Latoneros, 1 address as a workshop even in 1866, paying 240 reales a month in rent. It is not known who Andres Gonzales was, a brother, a nephew or just someone with the same surname. Francisco had had apprentices since 1850, my having found in the last 2 years the newspaper advertisements seeking to locate those workers.

 

Gonzalez, Francisco, guitarrero, Carrera de San Geronimo, 15 - the late Jose Romanillos, though he knew of the usage of the property in 1865, we now know the property was being used in 1864, and Jose does mention the listing of this address in the trade guides from 1864-1866.

Had Francisco expanded his operations to have two locations for fabrication of guitars and space for teaching students and customers? These locations are 1.1 km apart, 3,609 feet or about 2/3 of a mile. See the map at the bottom of this page.

There were 17 men named Francisco Gonzalez in Madrid at this time

 

Nieto, Manuel, guitarrero, Santa Isabel, 12

 

Ogero, Felix, guitarrero, San Millan, 16

 

Vindes, Francisco, guitarrero, Medio dia Grande, 10

 

PROVINCIA DE MURCIA

 

Martinez, Mariano, guitarrero. San Francisco

 

Alcaniz, Jose, guitarrero, Pilar.

 

Calvo, Jose, guitarrero, Pilar.

 

Ruiz, Antonio, guitarrero. Alameda.

 

PROVINCIA DE SEVILLA

ECIJA

Castillo, Juan, guitarrero.

 

PROVINCIA DE VALENCIA

 

Sanchordi, Silvestre, guitarrero. Bolseria, 38.

 

PROVINCIA DE ZARAGOZA

 

Ceperuela, Marcelo, guitarrero, Albarderia.

Luna, Juan, guitarrero, Cedaceria.

 

On September 17, 2024, I found more guitar makers, these are from Granada:

 

PROVINCIA DE GRANADA

Bueno, Ana guitar string maker (cuerdas de Guitarra) San Cecilio (not found in Romanillos' "The Vihuela and The Spanish Guitar" - there are dozens of string makers listed in other cities, but not Granada.)

Espinel, Jose Professor of Music, Triana (included as music related)

Garcia, Jose guitar string maker (cuerdas de Guitarra) Elvira (not found in Romanillos)

Ortega, Francisco, guitarreria, Elvira, 42.

Ortega, Jose, Guitarrista, Elvira, here we see the guitar maker when he was a budding guitarist at the age of 10 years old.

Pernas, Jose, Guitarrista, Laurel

Robles, Jose N., Guitarrista, Elvira 58

Segura, Antonio Maestro of Music, Capuchinas (included as music related)

Torres, Antonio Professor of Music, Elvira (included as music related)

Valle, Agustin, Guitarreria, Elvira 52

Valle, Antonio, Guitarreria, Elvira 40

Valle, Nicolas del, Guitarrista, Elvira 56

There are several ebanistas (cabinet makers) among the carpinteros (carpenters) listed, had the cabinet makers delved into making the guitars they would have become immortal.

We have at least 7 guitar makers in Granada at this time, the population being about 50,000. There are also 2 string makers and several music professors. It's great knowing that a city of this size could support this much artistry. It is not known why the adjective: Guitarrista (Guitarist) was used in place of Guitarreria, (Guitar shop) as that distinction is not found in the other pages of this book.

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