Alphonse Meurger

[Jan Burgers]

Hi everybody,

Recently I obtained a guitar with a label pasted in it with the signature stamp 'A. Meurger'. The same stamp is to be found on music by Alphonse Meurger (1791-1827), so this guitar is also connected to him. I take it that such a label indicates normally that he built the instrument.

An extended search on the internet (where would we be without it) resulted in quite a few details on the biography of this rather obscure musician, as well a a number of compositions, four of which in a presumably autograph manuscript. As far as I can tell now, he wrote mainly songs for voice and guitar, some for voice and piano and one piece for guitar solo, a kind of Fantasy on 'Au clair de la lune'. But nowhere I have found any mention of him as a guitar maker.

Does anyone know anything about the existence of other Meurger guitars? I would be very thankful for every piece of information, also about other aspects of this musician/luthier(?)

Jan Burgers

[James Westbrook]

May I suggest,without any internet searching or reaching for my books (which could be a mistake), that Meurger was the owner, not maker, of the guitar. Many players included their names on the labels. It would help to know what nationality he was and where he lived, and to see where the guitar was made, i.e. a photo of the neck to head join.

[Jan Burgers]

Thank you James. I also was wondering if Meurger was perhaps involved in buying and selling guitars. Problem is that his label is not directly under the soundhole, but at the side of the back, directly next to the rib. It would perhaps be hard to past it there when the instrument is intact, but on the other hand it could perhaps be done with the appropriate tool.

Meurger was born in Rouen and lived most of his life in the North of France: Chalons-sur-Marne, Douai.

I enclose a picture of the instrument and one of (what I presume you mean by) the neck to head join. It would be nice if you could tell me more on the background of the guitar (period, location).