Early Romantic Viennese Guitar (J. G. Stauffer Workshop) 1850's

Johann Georg Stauffer (1778-1853) was a renowned Austrian luthier, particularly active in the early 19th century. Based in Vienna, he was renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship and innovation, particularly in the manufacture of guitars and other plucked instruments.

Stauffer is famous for his elegant, refined guitars, distinguished by their innovative design and exceptional sound quality. He introduced several improvements, such as the use of screw tuners to replace traditional tuning pins and the adoption of an adjustable neck, a rare feature in his day. His instruments were appreciated by many musicians and helped shape the sound of nineteenth-century classical and romantic guitars.

One of the figures most influenced by Stauffer was Christian Friedrich Martin (1796-1873). Originally from Germany, Martin was apprenticed to Stauffer in Vienna in the 1820s, where he perfected his art of lutherie. During his apprenticeship, he assimilated the advanced manufacturing techniques developed by his master, in particular the structural innovations applied to guitars.

However, on his return to Germany in 1825, Martin encountered opposition from members of the Luthiers' Guild, who restricted instrument making to craftsmen of established guilds. Faced with these restrictions, he decided to emigrate to the United States in 1833, where he founded the company C. F. Martin & Co. the same year, today one of the world's most prestigious guitar manufacturers.

Stauffer's influence can be seen in the first guitars produced by Martin in the USA, which incorporated Viennese design elements such as the light body and fan-shaped bracing. However, Martin went on to develop his own style, notably with the introduction of the X-bracing in 1843, an innovation that revolutionized lutherie and set the standard for modern acoustic guitars.

Johann Georg Stauffer thus played a fundamental role in the evolution of the guitar, not only through his own creations, but also by training and influencing luthiers such as C. F. Martin, whose legacy lives on today through the instruments of the eponymous brand.

Sold in Switzerland by Joseph Bernet, a musical instrument dealer in Le Locle in the canton of Neuchâtel this beautiful romantic Viennese guitar from the school of J.G. Stauffer here offered for sale is dated around 1850 and comes with its original case.

Technical specifications:

• Top : Spruce
• Back : Two-piece birdseye maple with fir veneer
• Sides : Bird's-eye maple
• Neck: Maple (not adjustable)
• Fingerboard : Ebony
• Saddle width : 47 mm
• Radius : Flat
• Frets : 20 frets
• Fork: 642 mm
• Profile: Slim C
• Country of manufacture: Austria
• Year : 1840's / 1850's
• Finish : Natural
• Decorations : Filets around the table and back / Inlaid filets in the middle of the back / Multicolored inlaid filets in the rosette
• Details: A few very slight cracks in the top have been repaired / Excellent condition / In rare original case

Like all our instruments, this guitar has been carefully tuned.

As a result, it is extremely comfortable to play.

With a clear, balanced, delicate, warm and expressive sound, enveloping projection and precise response to playing nuances, this guitar will delight musicians both listening and playing.