Guitar

Johann Anton Stauffer

ca. 1835–40 · Spruce, maple · Musical Instruments

An engraved paper label in the body states: “Nach dem Modell / des Luigi Legnani 3347 / von Johann Anton Staufer / in Wien N-480 / Stauffer [MS signature].” Rinaldo Luigi Legnani (Ferrara, 1790–Ravenna, 1877) was a guitar virtuoso as well as amateur violin and guitar maker who eveloped a guitar design emulated by Stauffer. This example has a small, narrow waisted body with a one-piece back, sides of maple, and top of spruce. The neck angle (and thus the height of the strings, or the “action”) can be adjusted with a key mechanism. Johann Anton Stauffer was the son of Johann Georg Stauffer.

Artist

Johann Anton Stauffer

Date

ca. 1835–40

Medium

Spruce, maple

Culture

Austrian

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1979