An Exceptionally Beautiful 1850s Markneukirchen-style 'Parlor' Guitar

1850 Markneukirchen Martin-Style, Parlor Guitar (12 fret to body) with 'Fan-Tail' abalone inlay.

This exceptionally beautiful 1850s Markneukirchen Martin-Style 'Parlor' guitar weighs just 2.90 lbs. and has a 11 1/2 inch wide and 3 7/8 inch deep Brazilian rosewood, ladder-braced' body with a natural spruce top. The body depth at the neck is 3 1/2 inches, the upper bout measures 8 3/8 inches and the body length is 17 1/2 inches. The sound hole has a diameter of 3 1/8 inches and is bound with walnut? surrounded by three circular 'Herringbone' inlays and the most intricate floral inlay ring (7/16 inch wide) of mother-of-pearl and abalone. The edge of the top has a 3/16 inch 'notched square' inlay of mother-of-pearl and abalone and has Herringbone strips and a single layer 3/16/inch border of white pyralin. At the strap-end of the top is a beautiful 'Fantail' inlay of mother-of-pearl and abalone. The back of the guitar has a 1/8 inch Herringbone border flanked by two thin maple strips. The sides also have a thin maple strip on the top and another on the bottom as well as the same 1/8 inch Herringbone border with two thin maple center-strips which are in the center. On the strap-button edge of the body there is a 5/16 inch wide piece of ebonized maple which is flanked each side by the same 1/8 inch Herringbone border with two thin maple strips each side.

One-piece mahogany neck a scale length of 24 1/2 inches. Ebony faced headstock with inlaid mother-of-pearl and abalone 'winged acorn' with a small circle above. The nut width is just over 1 3/4 inches and the 'D' neck profile is nice and thin with 0.77 inches at the first fret, 0.80 at the third fret and 0.80 inches at the ninth fret. Slotted headstock with side-mounted, rear facing open-backed strip tuners with oval-shaped metal buttons. Ebony fretboard with nineteen original? thin frets and neck joint at twelfth fret.

Original? bone saddle on ebony 'Pyramid' bridge with six ivory pins with abalone circles. The ebony bridge is decorated in the middle with a row of small 'notched square'  abalone inlays, which at each end extend upwards.
In each of the two upper corners are inlaid abalone flowers and at each end of the tailpiece are three inlaid abalone circles.

There are seven cracks on the top, one on the treble side of the body and four on the back, all of which have now been repaired and are perfectly stable. The action at the twelfth fret is a very comfortable and playable 1/8 inch. There is some playing wear on the top but overall this mid-nineteenth century guitar is in truly amazing condition.

Housed in a modern three-latch, shaped black softshell case with black felt lining (9.00).