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Cushmic Sounds is thrilled to offer on consignment this stunning piece of guitar-building history from the Panormo family dynasty of musical instrument makers, England’s premiere guitar-making family of the nineteenth century, based in London, England. Here we have an incredibly beautiful and extremely rare George Lewis Panormo made Spanish-Style guitar from 1865.
Serial #2279
A note from the current owner:
"Purchased by my grandmother in 1938 for my mother's 18th birthday and she gave it to me on my 18th birthday. The guitar was part of a collection owned by Madame Catharina Pratton who ran a guitar tuition school in London during the 19th century.
It came to Australia in 1966 when I moved to live here in that year. Many people have played on it since then including James Morrison (trumpet player) and John Pissano, a great American guitarist (the flying Pissanos)"
Wikipedia - Catharina Pratton:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharina_Pratten
History:
George Lewis was the son of George Panormo and the nephew of Louis Panormo (1784–1862) who arrived in London from Paris with his family in or around 1789, escaping the turmoil of the French Revolution. After being trained as a violin maker, Louis opened his own workshop in 1808 and was widely considered England’s premier guitar maker of the early 19th century.
Around 1854-1855, Louis sold his workshop and emigrated to New Zealand. George Lewis took over the family's instrument-making business, running it successfully until his death in 1877, which marked the end of the Panormo guitar-making lineage.
According to historical organology data kept by institutions like the Austin-Marie Guitar Collection, there are only around 12 to 15 total verified surviving guitars built by George Lewis Panormo known to exist today across all his manufacturing years (roughly 1855 to 1877).
While serial numbers on his interior labels suggest his original production numbers were higher, the vast majority of his catalog was lost to wood damage, structural collapse, or disposal over the last 160 years.
Based on the overall scarcity of his catalog, this 1865 model is an incredibly rare artifact - historically speaking, it may be one of only one or two remaining specimens from that specific calendar year.
While you can easily find dozens of surviving "Louis Panormo" guitars from the 1820s to 1840s, George Lewis's guitars are far harder to come across. By the time George Lewis took over the workshop in the mid-1850s, the piano had largely replaced the guitar as the preferred domestic parlor instrument in London. By 1868, he was one of only four guitar makers left in the entire city of London, meaning his annual output in 1865 was already quite small compared to the family's earlier heyday.
Specs:
Weight: 1.27kg (2.79lbs).
Top: One-piece fine-grained European Spruce with internal kurfing.
Rosette: Offset-square-and-diamond-shaped design featuring mother-of-pearl inlay and bound with a concentric outer circle of thin bands that match the soundboard purfling.
Bridge: Dark African or Indian Ebony with inlayed mother-of-pearl wings and matching bridge pins.
Back and Sides: Four-piece highly figured Coromandel (Exotic East Indian Ebony).
Neck: Lightweight Spanish Cedar.
Fingerboard: 3mm dark slab of African or Indian Ebony.
Fingerboard radius: Flat
Nut material: Bone
Nut width: 48.70mm (1.917")
Number of frets: 18
Scale length: 630mm (24.8")
Headstock: Distinct crescent "shield" shape with two distinct vertical slots carved completely through the wood to house the tuning rollers and strings.
Tuners: English-made Baker tuners with mother-of-pearl buttons and intricately engraved brass side plates with crown emblems.
Internal bracing: Seven internal fan braces asymmetrically arranged (three on the treble side, one centered, and three on the bass side)
Notes:
Because Coromandel wood was difficult to harvest in wide slabs, the backs of these guitars were frequently built using a four-piece matched layout, rather than a standard two-piece back. Coromandel is notoriously brittle and sensitive to climate changes. Almost all surviving 1800s specimens exhibit minor hairline splits or separation along these four-piece back seams. There is a repaired crack on the top, below the reglued original bridge and a repaired crack along the rear upper bout. What also may appear to be repairs may indeed be just normal aberrations of finishes that we are not used to seeing, due to modern manufacturing standards. Wood also moves, so it is not uncommon for a guitar of this age to have undergone repairs more than once throughout its history.
Keep in mind that these guitars were made using only hand tools such as hammers, chisels, scrapers, spokeshaves, and planes. There were no electric sanders, thicknessers, or planers.
Comes with its original solid wood case, made by Withers, Sons & Co. in London, England.
Serviced and restrung here at Cushmic Sounds with Augustine Classic Red nylon strings, frets polished, fretboard cleaned and lightly oiled.
SHIPPING: Fully insured shipping with tracking provided . All items from Cushmic Sounds are packed carefully and securely.
However, if you would like to organise your own shipping, I will provide the collection address once payment has cleared.
FREE DELIVERY: Perth Metro area and surrounds.
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: Import costs, Tariffs, VAT, etc are the responsibility of the buyer and not that of Cushmic Sounds. Check with your local customs authority before purchase.
Want to view this guitar in person? Viewings are By Appointment Only at Pen Cap Chew Studios, Unit 7/2 Pritchard St, O'Connor WA 6163.
NOTE: A$35 fee must be paid via bank transfer 48hrs prior to your appointment and will be deducted if you purchase, but is non-refundable if you cancel your booking within 48hrs or do not purchase - Genuine interest only.
To arrange a viewing, please get in touch.