Classical Guitars: 1897 Enrique Garcia (1868-1922) Signed

Enrique Garcia

$60,000

652 mm Scale, 50 mm Nut. Medium grain Domed Spruce Soundboard and Maple Back and Sides. French Polish, Original Frets, Original C. Eon Pearl Tuners (made in Paris), as used on many of the Antonio de Torres and Eladio Molina guitars. It has separate kerfing pieces attaching the top to the sides, and a single liner attaching the back to the sides. 9 fan braces. This weighs only 1,165 grams = 41.61 ozs = 2 lbs. 9.6 ozs.

The distance from Francisco Tarrega’s home to Enrique Garcia’s workshop was 2.2 km = 1.37 of a mile, just over a mile. See the map below.

This guitar is a published instrument. In 2010, three photos of the guitar appeared in the book published by Diego Milanese and Umberto Piazza: Francisco Simplicio, Luthier, on pages 21 and 64, both pages of photos are shown here.

My name appears in the above mentioned book on page 133, because of relating the story that Jose Rey de la Torre was brought to the Simplicio shop by Miguel Llobet, to get a guitar, whereupon entering they both learned that Francisco had passed away 3 weeks previously, and that Miguel was installing the frets, Bridge and Gears with Strings on the last guitar Francisco ever built. I related this story to Diego Milanese over 20 years ago, and the story was included in an Italian Classical Guitar magazine published at that time.

I had the phone conversation with Jose Rey de la Torre in 1987, when I learned these aspects.

I encourage you to look for Rey de la Torre videos, one has this Simplicio, another has a Hermann Hauser I guitar. My teacher, Byron Pang, said in 1979: "Jose Rey de la Torre has the best musicianship of all classical guitarists. If the composer writes the dynamic in the work, you will hear Jose Rey de la Torre play it."

In 2008 Luigi Attademo recorded 2 CDs of the J. S. Bach Suites with this guitar, BWV 996, 1006,1004, 995, 997, 998, 999, and 1000.

Domingo Prat says in his opening paragraph of the biography in his 1934 publication: "Diccionario de Guitaristas y Guitarreros" that "Enrique Garcia is considered as the Stradivarius of the Guitar".

This instrument passed from Otto Winkler collection to Victor Rangel-Ribeiro, proprietor of the now closed Orpheus Music Shop at 14 West 45th St. in New York City. When it was restored by Michael Gurian it belonged to Victor Rangel-Ribeiro. In 1972 Victor owned a 1878 Antonio de Torres and also an 1858 Antonio de Torres - ex-collection Julian Arcas.

The Otto Winkler collection was documented in the British magazine "Guitar" in April of 1978. See the two page interview at the bottom of this listing, it mentions his collection contained several dozen instruments, including 9 Torres guitars. My colleague, Richard Bruné, told me 20 years ago or more, that not all of the 9 Torres were authentic.

This guitar was fabricated just 4 years after the awarding winning guitar was given it's first prize at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. Enrique Garcia had yet to use, on a consistent basis, his Torres headstock.

Today March, 7, 2022 I have added an image from page 252 from the book: Awards Souvenir. Musical Instruments at the World's Columbian Exposition, published by The Presto Company Chicago April, 1895. showing Enrique Garcia's name and describing why his guitar deserves an award:

Exhibitor. Group 158. Class 923.

Enrique Garcia, Barcelona. Exhibit - Guitars.

This exhibit deserves an award:

"For sweetness of tone quality.

For beauty of finish."

Approved. K. Buenz (Signed) Esmeralda Cervantes,

President Departmental Committee. Individual Judge.

Francisco Tarrega's first Enrique Garcia guitar was No. 43 fabricated in 1904, and his second was No. 74, fabricated in 1906.

Domingo Prat (1886-1944) (Francisco Tarrega student) owned at least 3 Enrique Garcia guitars at the time of his death in 1944 (An 1899 Garcia, another No. 22 of the year 1902, a 3rd No. 264 of 1922.), he took one to Buenos Aires and arrived on January 1, 1908, endearing Enrique Garcia to dozens of buyers who had played guitars already for many decades.

Francisco Tarrega's Enrique Garcia guitar, n°43 fabricated in 1904, made its way to Argentina and became the possession of Adolfo V. Luna in 1924 (Shown in the Revista Musical Ilustrada “Tárrega” magazine and my ANNOTATIONS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE CLASSICAL GUITAR IN ARGENTINA 1822-2000, 4 VOLS.) and was recorded in 1929 on Discos Nacional Odeon records, produced by Max Glucksmann, who also produced the recordings of dozens of compositions written and recorded by Agustin Barrios Mangore, from 1921-1929 for Discos Nacional Odeon.

Maria Luisa Anido also owned a 1918 Enrique Garcia guitar, which she used to recorded duets with Miguel Llobet in the late 1920's. Emilio Pujol's Garcia was made in 1905, and some years later was stolen in Barcelona, Francisco Tarrega's eccentric English student Dr. Walter Leckie all played Enrique Garcia guitars. Agustin Barrios used his 1923 (late 1922 or finished by Francisco Simplicio after Enrique died on October 31, 1922.) to record Capricho arabe, and many more unforgettable songs in the 1926-1929 recordings. In my book on pages 1939-1942 are mentions of those who owned Garcia guitars, most notably Juan Parras del Moral who recorded in the 1930's. There are 9 owners listed on those pages including Pepita Roca, child prodigy who studied with Tarrega. Tarrega owned No. 43 and No. 74, mine is No. 81. I did 2 videos to discuss all these owners of great guitars on Youtube weeks ago. I read pages 1939-1942 verbatim on the Youtube videos. We also need to include concert guitarists Francisco Alfonso (1908-1940) and Julio Sagreras (22 November 1879 – 20 July 1942) as owners as well. At the bottom of the photos is a sheet music cover from 1918 advertising: Guitarras "Garcia", showing Julio Sagreras holding an Enrique Garcia guitar. This is from page 4 of my book: ANNOTATIONS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE CLASSICAL GUITAR IN ARGENTINA 1822-2000, 4 VOLS.

Enrique Garcia Castillo won the 1st prize at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, mentioned on his labels (Primer Premio en la Exposition de Chicago 1893.). He worked for Jose Ramirez from 1883, alongside Julian Gomez Ramirez, Rafael Casana and Antonio Viudes, then in 1890 he began to work for Manuel Ramirez. My esteemed colleague, Richard Brune says. "When Enrique García won the medal in Chicago in 1893 he was listed in the medal award book as being from Barcelona. Mysteriously though In 1893 Romanillos says he was working for Manuel Ramírez in Madrid." I would believe the medal award book, in that Enrique Garcia had to state where the guitar was fabricated in order to enter it in the competition.

The following is from page 1468 of my book: ANNOTATIONS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE CLASSICAL GUITAR IN ARGENTINA 1822-2000, 4 VOLS. It can been purchased through PayPal on the link at the bottom of the home page on this web site. It is a list of Domingo Prat's guitar collection offered for sale almost 2 years after his death.

In the month of August of 1946, in Buenos Aires, the Antigua Casa Nuñez-announced in its business the Exposition and Sale of the collection of the guitars of Domingo Prat in perfect condition of use, they were: 1899 Garcia, another No. 22 of the year 1902, a 3rd No. 264 of 1922; 1926 Simplicio No. 124, another 1930 No. 283; two 1926 Sanfeliu guitars, 1859 Torres, 9 string Lorca ex-collection Don Juan Parga, a small Pagés, a small S. Silvestre, and a small 1848 Manuel Gutiérrez.

Enrique Garcia made between 340 and 360 guitars in his lifetime, almost equal to the production of Santos Hernandez. From 1900 he numbered them up to No. 272 when he died. In the 1890's he just made them and didn't number them, it seems he spent 5 1/2 weeks on each guitar, making 9 a year.