Historic Guitar Makers of the Sevilla School
These biographies of historic Spanish luthiers in Sevilla are works in progress. If you have additional materials, information, sources, photographs, or corrections you wish to share, please contact me. (Reference Works)
Antonio Demas Montsalves (Sevilla, active c. 1905-1943)
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Antonio Demas Montsalves was a guitar maker in Sevilla in the first half of the 20th century. He was apparently trained by Enrique Bergali Alonso who had his workshop at Calle Sierpes, 65 in Sevilla, and died about 1905, and Antonio inherited his workshop and continued in business there until his death around 1943. The shop was then taken over by Francisco Mellado Demans. Over the years the Casa Demas evolved into a music store dealing in classical and flamenco guitars and other instruments. In 1998, the Casa Damas S.L. was at Calle Sierpes 61. |
Ramon Delclos (Sevilla, active 1914-?).
Ramon Delclos established his workshop in 1914, and made flamenco and classical guitars, bandurrias, and laudes. He had his workshop at Mendez Nuñez, no. 19 in Sevilla. After his death, his widow continued selling guitars with the label Vda de Ramon Delclos at this address.
Joseph de Frías (Sevilla, active c. 1775-1800)
Joseph de Frías was active in the last quarter of the eighteenth century. He seems to have lived in Sevilla, and probably late in his career in Cádiz. He was among the first makers to use fan bracing.
Ignacio de los Santos (Sevilla, active c. 1790s)
Ignacio de los Santos, a luthier from Sevilla he was active at the end of the eighteenth century. Unlike the instruments made in Cádiz, his instruments did not use fan bracing. His shop was at Calle Carpintería, 26, Sevilla.
Manuel Gutiérrez Martínez (Sevilla, b.1773-d.1857)
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Manuel Gutiérrez Martínez was born in Sevilla in 1773. As his father was a silversmith, it is uncertain where Manuel learned his trade. Over the course of his long carrier in Sevilla Manuel had a number of workshops. In 1836 he had a workshop at Calle Cerrageria 46. In 1844, his workshop was at Calle Cerrageria 44. In 1845-46, it was at Calle Cerrageria 35. In 1847-48, he was at Ballestilla 10. In 1849, he moved to Cerrageria 36, a few doors away from no. 32, where Antonio de Torres worked from 1856-1868. Manuel shared this shop with María Dolores Gómez Sánchez (b. 1805-d.1867), his apprentice and disciple who had joined his shop in the 1840s. Manuel never married, so when he died of asthma on the 25th of May, 1857, Maria Gomez, inherited this shop from his master, and continued to list Manuel's name in the trade guides until he retired in 1868, and sold the shop to Manuel Soto y Solares (b1839-d.1906). Manuel Gutierrez chief claim to fame is that he was a close friend of Antonio Torres (b. 1817- d. 1892). According to Prat (1934:374) for a time when Torres was first becoming established in Sevilla, Gutierrez shared his workshop at calle Cerrageria 36 with him. Torres arrived in Sevilla in 1845. During this period, Torres was not a full time builder, but was being encouraged by Julian Arcas, a Spanish guitarist and virtuoso. (Romanillos and Winspear 2001:176). Torres probably shared Manuel's workshop sometime between 1849 and 1854, when Torres opened his own workshop at Ballestilia 11, moving then to Cerrageria 32. Although Jose Pernas
(b.c. 1802 - d after 1866) is credited by some by some as Torres teacher,
Romanillos believes it is doubtful that this Granada maker was his teacher.
Romanillos notes that Torres guitars have much more affinity with guitars made
in Cadiz and Sevilla than with those of Pernas. Romanillos, suggests that (FE 2)
shows that Torres was still learning his art in 1854. An interesting question is
whether Gutierrez may have taught Torres something of the luthier's art.
It is hard to assess just how much Torres learned from contact with other makers
in Sevilla, "in particular with Manuel Gutierrez, it is probable that he was
able to learn certain techniques to help him in his career" (Ramanillos
1995:20-21).
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Alonso Merino (Sevilla, active c. 1900)
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Alonso Merino was a
maker in Sevilla at the beginning of the twentieth century. He had his shop at
Calle O'Donnel 17, Sevilla from 1895-1896, then moved in 1897 to O'Donnel 13,
and relocated in No. 18, on the same street in 1898 where he continued until at
least 1903. In addition to guitarras, his labels advertise that he made
Bandurrias. One of this guitars built in 1900 is listed in the collection of
Felix Manzanero.
(Photo Courtesy of Felix Manzanero) |
Diego Salazar y Soto (Sevilla, active c. 1830s-1860s)
Diego Salazar was born in 1807. He was trained by his father, Manuel Salazar, a guitar maker active in Sevilla around first quarter of the nineteenth century. Like many makers in Sevilla of the period, in the 1840s Diego seems to have had a shop on the Calle Carpintería at no. 47. In the 1860s, he seems to have moved to Calle Cuna 30, and was working with his son, Rafael Salazar Grajales until at least 1868.
Francisco Sanguino (Sevilla, active c. 1750s-1780s)
Although little is know about this maker, he seems to have been a famous maker in his own time, and his guitars are earliest known to use fan bracing. Five of his guitars are know to have survived, as well as two cellos. His work was important to the evolution of the modern guitar. It is probable that he trained the Pagés.
José Serrano (Sevilla, active c. 1840s-1850s)
José Serrano, a guitar maker from Sevilla was active in the mid-nineteenth century. His guitars used a very simple system of fan bracing. His label gives his address as Calle Carpintería, no. 26, Sevilla.
Cristóbal Soto Sánchez (Sevilla, b. c. 1869, active 1890-1900)
Cristóbal Soto Sánchez was the son of Manuel Soto y Solares and was born in Sevilla around 1869. He seems to have been active as a guitar maker in the 1890s and worked with his father at Calle Cerrajeria No. 7. That he was not his father's successor suggests that he may have died before his father.
Joaquín Soto y Solares (Sevilla, b. 1843, active 1860s).
Joaquín Soto y Solares was born in 1843 and was the second son of Manuel María de Soto Castaňón, and worked with his father at Calle Cuna 19.
Manuel María de Soto Castañón (Sevilla, b. circa 1800 -d. 1878)
Born around the beginning of the century, the son of Manuel María de Soto, a guitar maker also in Sevilla. He probably was trained by his father. Several address are associate with him in the 1830s, he seems to have been at Calle Carpintería No. 19. In the 1860s, he apparently was at Calle Cuna 19, but at his death he was at No. 41 on the same street. He had at least two sons who followed him as guitar makers: Manuel Soto y Solares and Joaquin Soto y Solares.
Manuel Soto y Solares (Sevilla, b. 1839- d.1906)
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Manuel Soto y
Solares was a luthier active in Sevilla during the second half of the nineteenth
century. He was the son of Manuel de Soto Castaňón, and was trained by his
father. His workshop moved around on the Calle Cerrageria, the same street
where Antonio de Torres also had his shop, being first at No. 36, then at
No. 4, and finally at number 7. Manuel Soto y Solares workshop evolved into a
guitar factory that continued to produce instruments well into this century.
Although Manuel's son, Cristóbal Soto Sánchez, followed in his footsteps as a
luthier, it was his daughters, Francisca and Rosa de Soto who took over the
business upon his death. Photograph courtesy of Richard Bruné. |
José Tejada y Soto. (b.c. 1890 active c. 1910-1930s)
José Tejada Soto, the son of Francisca de Soto y Sánchez, and grandson of Manuel Soto y Solares was born around 1890, and grew up in the shop at Cerrageria No 7. About 1911, the shop moved to the Calle Federico de Castro, No 59; and he worked there with his mother until he took over in 1917. He advertised he was the successor of Manuel Soto y Solares, and continued in business until at least 1933.
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