Silver-gilt mounted tiger's eye miniature guitar

This wonderful miniature guitar is formed from veined tiger’s eye mounted with silver and silver-gilt elements.

The front and rear faces of the body of the guitar are inset with tiger’s eye, while the sides of the body are cast from silver: the silver is parcel gilt, with a sequence of foliate motifs forming an encompassing frieze. The front of the body is mounted with an exceptionally ornate, scrolled, foliate silver-gilt bridge, while the sound hole is bordered by a pierced silver-gilt cover.

The neck of the guitar, replete with fretboard, is formed from silver-gilt, the neck terminating in a large headstock finished with six mock tuning screws.

The guitar is supported by a stand: the base of the stand, formed from tiger’s eye, features canted and chamfered corners. The base is surmounted by a beautifully pierced and scrolled silver-gilt guitar support.

The reverse of the guitar’s neck, which is adorned with embossed foliate motifs, is stamped with ‘800’, which signifies 80% silver, as well as an indistinct maker’s mark.