DescriptionSoundboard of spruce, varnished, of two pieces which are not bookmatched. Rectangular-style bridge with curved shape at base, approximately 127mm long, 18mm wide. Bridge is of rosewood with inlaid mother-of-pearl flower petals at either end, and seven equally spaced dots along its length.
Bridge edged with ivory strips. Excellently carved mustachios of black stained wood with inlaid mother-of-pearl highlights.
Soundboard sumptuously decorated around the soundhole, below the bridge, and at the top (where it extends into the neck) with inlaid black mastic and mother-of-pearl floral work. In addition to the floral work, the soundhole has a wide band of ebony surrounded by thin bands of maple(?) and ebony at the top of the bevel, and geometric inlaid alternate maple and rosewood segments, the latter echoing the purfling on top of the soundboard at the edge. The rosehole diameter is 85.5mm. The soundboard extends into the neck to join the fingerboard halfway along the ninth fret area.
The back and sides are of a tropical hardwood, possibly some type of light rosewood. The sides are inlaid with two wide strips of dark rosewood in the centre, separated by strips of maple and rosewood, with an edging consisting of a strip of rosewood with thin maple bands. This edging occurs on the sides by the soundboard and back as well. A similar decorative scheme occurs on the back of the instrument. The edge has identical purfling, and the centre of the back uses the same woods in a chequer- and-stripe pattern surrounded by wider pieces of dark rosewood and edged with strips of maple with thin rosewood and maple bands. 2.5mm bands of rosewood with thin maple bands, identical to those used as an edging on the sides are inlaid into the back in between pieces of the lighter hardwood.
The neck is of mahogany.
Back of the head veneered in ebony, surrounding pattered diagonal strips of walnut. The front of the head is veneered in ebony with a central design of ivory inside the geometrical maple and rosewood design. Original pegs of ebony with ivory dots.
Fingerboard of ebony. Neck width 51.5mm at nut, 60mm at body join. 16 frets of metal, top four frets angled.
6 courses: (6 × 2) strings, 12 strings in total.
Maker: J. Pages.
Cadiz, Spain.
1813
Overall size: 1005
Body length: 471
Body width, upper bouts: 226
Body width, wasit: 184
Body width, lower bouts: 289
Body depth: 111 (at bottom) - 97 (at heel)
String length: 657
Repair History: Two pegs of ebony from a later date |