Guitars In Oxford

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has a fine collection of early guitars, including one which was made by the most famous luthier ever known, Antonio Stradivari. He is renowned for violins and 'celli but he made some guitars. The Stradivarius is the tallest guitar in the showcase and has eighteen frets, although some may have been retrofitted. The museum also houses the Messiah Stradivarius violin. 

Inlaid on the reverse of the guitar's head is "Ant Stradivarius Cremonen 1688," this rare instrument may have a value of $2 million. Only five exist, and only one may be playable. There are faint marks of moustachioes on the face, either side of the bridge, which must have been removed at some time during its long history. To the right of the Stradivarius is a guitar with an inscription which translates to "Antonio Viera Dos Santos made this in Lisbon." It is from the early 18th century. To the left of the Stradivarius is a mother-of-pearl and tortoise-shell inlaid guitar made in Paris, inscribed on the head "René Voboam Paris 1641"

The Ashmolean was the first museum established in England. The museum was founded in 1683 on the gift of Mr Elias Ashmole of his cabinet of curiosities. Gentlemen gathered works of art and curiosities while taking the Grand Tour of ancient historical sites, at the time of the Enlightenment, when many European countries thought little of their history and artefacts. 

The Earl of Arundel was equally a collector; however, his interest was further back in history, to the Roman and Greek civilisations. A gallery of statues, the Arundel Marbles, are exceptional pieces excavated by the Earl and his archaeologists in Rome and gifted to the museum. The Earl was not afraid of repairing his finds and, in one case, gave a Roman in a toga a new head. 

Today the enormous collection continues to grow with additions accepted by the nation in lieu. That is to say, instead of paying death duties, works of art are accepted as payment by the Revenue Service. 

The earliest electric guitar in jazz was the Rickenbacker Frying pan, a steel lap guitar made in 1932. That instrument and those that followed replaced both the acoustic guitar and the banjo in jazz performance. 

Here is  a recording by Wes Montgomery "Here's That Rainy Day," London 1965.

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Posted to Big World with Martin McFie IN THE All About Jazz GROUP
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Location: United Kingdom