Cittern, William Gibson, Dublin, 1772

Description:

Cittern, William Gibson, Dublin, 1772, signed and dated at the upper back, the maple back and sides, the spruce top with gold rosette in soundhole decorated with four guitars, four horns, four recorders, and floral design in the center, the beech neck with thumb groove and holes for capo at the second through the fifth fret positions, the ebony fretboard with ivory veneer, the brass frets, the square headstock finial with tortoiseshell face edged in ivory, the brass tuning machines with pin rollers, length of back 37.9 cm, with case.

Certificate: Musical Heritage, London, October 25, 1967
Estimate $600-800

Note: Certificate dates the instrument incorrectly from 1712, the signature on the back is most likely 1772

Five repaired face cracks, one repaired back crack approx. 27 cm
Tuners in good condition and working. Rosette in very good condition. Frets in very good condition with little wear. Inlaid curly maple side repair, lower treble bout, approx. 3x8 cm. Varnish surface good, original except for shellac overcoat on repaired cracks (UV scan)

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