ER Guitars made by manufacturers of primarily band instruments.

[av8t0r]

I recently purchased an Early Romantic guitar with the label J.W.S.L. Trademark (showing an 1840s British Soldier with a fife). After some research, I found that the J.W.S.L. stands for Joseph Wallis & Son, LTD. I cannot find a reference to another guitar by this maker, but plenty of woodwinds, brass and even pianos. Then this last week, I saw a guitar marked Guautrot Aine A Paris, and again, I can find no other guitar with this label, though there are plenty of band instruments made by them. Both companies seem to have started in the 1840s and been fairly large manufacturers of band instruments through the 1870s/80s.

I wonder who actually made the guitars and if there are other instances of non-stringed instrument makers dabbling  in guitars.

Guautrot Aine A Paris

Joseph Wallis & Son, LTD.

[Scot Tremblay]

I don't know about these two makers but in many of these situations the guitars were made in one of many factories and then marketed under the company name selling them. It's a practice that continues today with many of the Spanish (and others) builders that offer a number of levels of guitar or companies like Hohner that offer many different instruments but most often they don't make all the models in their catalog.

 

The two instruments pictured above have a number of the hallmarks of Markneukirchen school/style so I my first impression is that's where they were made. But without looking closer and in person it's hard to be sure.

 

"...this last week, I saw a guitar marked Guautrot Aine A Paris,..."

 

There was a Nicolas Aine building guitars in Paris around the end of the 18th ealy 19th century so there may be a family connection there.

[av8t0r]

Both companies had sizable manufacturing capability, and made their own band instruments, so while they could have made them in shop, I assumed they were acting as jobbers for another maker. I thought it was odd to see this happen both in England and France at about the same time; part of the boom in manufactured goods of the time, I guess.

The guitars may have signs of Markneukirchen make, but they also reflect the style of each seller's country. The wide spaced rings and stout mustache bridge of the Wallis are similar to Panormo, and the Guautrot seems influenced by Lacote. Wallis instruments of the period are held in high regard by woodwind players. Mine is not made of the highest quality materials, but is a decent playing and sounding ER guitar.

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

Hello Scot

Gautrot Aine and Nicolas Aine were very likely not related. 'Ainé' in French means 'the older' or 'senior'.  

[Scot Tremblay]

Thanks Jelma. I suspected as much but thought I'd mention it just in case.

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

Hello Av8t0r,

The Gautrot looks very much like a guitar from the Jerome Thibouville Lamy factory.

[av8t0r]

Interesting; Jerome Tibouville Lamy seems to have made primarily violin family instruments. At least they were stringed instruments! Do you have any information about them?

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

http://sinierderidder.free.fr/guitares/thibouvillelamy_eng.html

and

http://oldromanticguitars.blogspot.com/2008/05/thibouville-l-amy-gu...

and

http://www.luthiers-mirecourt.com/thibouville1912_2.htm

It was a very large factory. You can find out a lot about them simply through Google and Google Images. The last link I gave has a 1912 catalogue of mandolins and guitars with a guitar that resembles yours. Thibouville Lamy guitars show up quite frequently on (online) auctions.

[av8t0r]

Bingo, #579 on page 133, an exact match. The listing for the ""Guautrot" said the label was marked "18xx" It was probably 1890 something. A very late "Early Romantic." At least it's French.

I'd really like to know ore about the Wallis. It has a very "English" look to me.

[Sinier de Ridder]

Hello, The guitar in the box is a guitar made by Jerome Thibouville Lamy, in Mirecourt circa 1860. 

The other seems to be made in Markneukirchen. Nicolas (Aïné) was a master in Mirecourt, he had a big workshop with several workers ans made as well quatuor instruments as guitars. Gautrot was also a small factory and workers made all kind of instruments. In Mirecourt all the lutherie-making was organized around workshops who made non branded instruments  for dealers who put their own brands or labels and who sold these instruments through all Europe and world.