Keyed guitar, Christian Claus (attributed to), Longman and Broderip, c. 1785
spruce, maple, palisander, mahogany, metal, bone, l 72cm × w 30.5cm × d 11.5cm More details
In the late 18th century, mass-production methods made instruments accessible to a large audience. This guitar is an example of this development and was conceived as a portable equivalent of a keyboard instrument for fashionable ladies. Its piano-key mechanism activates small hammers that strike the strings. This simplified the playing technique and protected the women’s fingertips.
