Classical Guitars: 1870 Agustin Altimira Codina (1805-1882)

Agustin Altimira Codina (1805-1882)

$15,000

650 mm Scale 50 mm Nut. Fine to Medium grain one piece Domed Spruce soundboard, supported by 5 finely sanded Fan Braces, with 4 smaller Fan Braces in between the 5 near the end block area, Solid Brazilian Rosewood sides and back, Pine neck, Straight Rosewood fingerboard. The soundboard and back are attached to the sides with single blocks-the very highest state of lutherie. Original Brass Bar frets. Brazilian Rosewood Peghead Overlay, Pegs are Ebony, they work well as seen in the video. . The guitar has a fabulous sustain to cover 1/2 notes followed by 1/4 notes in waltzes. When you play and listen to this guitar, it is very easy to understand why 6 colleagues and students of Francisco Tarrega owned one made by Agustin Altimira.

The guitar weighs 2 lbs. 2.25 Ozs. Just 959 grams, 34.25 Ozs.

I have included a photo of an 1837 Francisco Pages guitar with the similar bracing system of 5 and 4 interspersed in between the 5.

Miguel Llobet also owned an Altimira guitar, quite fancier and made before Agustin was at this location, calle Escudillers (spelling on the label of Llobet's instrument-Escudellers in Catalan), 43 Barcelona, where Agustin also fabricated his Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses-I have included photos of these violins and basses from 1850, I have also included a view of Llobet's guitar and its label.

According to Domingo Prat’s "Diccionario de Guitarristas" published in 1934, at least six of Francisco Tarrega’s colleagues and students, such as Miguel Llobet, knew about and bought guitars from the Altamira workshop: Baldomero Cateura (Bandurrista), Federico Cano (who wrote the “Andante”, dedicated to Agustin Altimira, and published the year after he passed away, see photo) and guitar collector Mario Palmes all owned Altimira guitars-one of his was restored by Enrique Garcia in 1916. Mario Palmes also owned the 1858 Antonio de Torres that won the Bronze Medal in the Seville Exhibition in 1858. Antonio Mestres, “Diccionario de Guitarristas” by Prat page 204, dedicated a song “Elegia” to Agustin, also being mentioned in a 1914 publication "La Guitarra, su construccion y su musica" by Fernando Mestre and published by Utiel-No typos on the names, these are as listed in the “Diccionario de Guitarristas."

Trinitario Huerta (1804-1875) owned an Altimira guitar made in 1850 in Barcelona. I have included a photo in this listing. We see the plantilla, bridge and the headstock are very much in league with this.

Today instruments by this adept guitar maker are found in the JOSE RAMÍREZ COLLECTION in Madrid, Museu de la Música de Barcelona, Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, the GRANARY COLLECTION held by Alun Morgan in the UK, etc.

This is the 2nd guitar by this maker since 2019, to be offered at our store.