c.1890 Benary Celebrated Benary Guitar Parlor Tilton Improvement

This is a piece of American guitar-making history - at a time when the world was bringing the stringed instrument out of the dark ages, and into the living room, or "parlor". 

This is a "Celebrated - Benary - Guitar", as noted on the "Tilton Improvement" across the soundhole. This guitar has a spruce top, Brazilian-rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and ebony nut, with natural finish. The bass side of the head has the original decorative tuners, while the treble side appears to have adopted squared-end tuners from a Haynes-made guitar of the same era (perhaps, owing to repairs of the neck noted below and in the pics). The V-profile neck is slightly dinged and nicked, yet stable and straight. The bridge appears to be an original, or original of the era, coinciding with the tailpiece.       

While playable, the guitar has suffered recent lift to the bottom, so that it may be properly restored without further risk of damage. In its 120+ year history, it appears to have also suffered damage to the head which was very well repaired (however much with a slight alteration to the head and placement of the tuners). In addition, this "Celebrated Guitar" endured a crack at the neck joint, which nonetheless seems unaffected by tension of the strings. 

It seems a good time to restore this relic from the past in a manner befitting its contribution to American guitar-making and music, and in celebration of its brilliant, deep sounds, so that it may endure another 120+ years.

Please see pics, as this guitar is being sold as-is.
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DISCLAIMER: Although I have had the good fortune to deal with the best of buyers, in light of accounts of a rising number of frivolous and fraudulent online purchases, cancellations and returns, I offer the following disclaimer. The item(s) contained in this listing is/are being sold "as-is". Every effort has been made to thoroughly and accurately describe the item(s) contained in this listing. Further, because every guitar should be set to player-specific requirements, guitars listed may not be setup to the specifications of every buyer. Buyer agrees to hold seller harmless in the event any and every blemish, smudge, scratch or nick, or any and every slight defect, may have been inadvertently overlooked. If a buyer has any questions, or requires any further information, buyer must ask prior to purchase.