iLuthier

NOTE: Click on the picture to see some of Oliver Wadsworth’s work.

A small collection of lute roses and medieval guitar rosettes by renown British instrument maker Oliver Wadsworth can be found in gallery section of this site. Each of the featured roses come from Oliver’s website which contains a wealth of information for lute makers.

Along with lutes, Wadsworth Instruments also make a range of archlutes, theorbos and renaissance and baroque guitars, and Oliver has been making stringed instruments of one sort or another since 1985. His designs are usually based on existing instruments found in museums and private collections around the world.

Iconographic sources are also used – especially for early and more obscure instruments where little physical evidence is available. Along with using historical references, Wadsworth Instruments is also happy to make copies of specific instruments for their clients.

We’ll be featuring some of Oliver’s amazing instrument making in the next day or so. In the meantime though, click here to check out Oliver Wadsworth’s lute roses and guitar rosettes which we have up in the gallery section. You’ll no doubt agree that the workmanship is superb.

If you want to find out more about Oliver Wadsworth and his work as a lute, theorbo and guitar maker, click here to go to his website.

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAPLE ROSETTE WOOD INLAID 1p WR-103 US $15.00 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 17:29:11 PST   | Watch this Item

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAPLE ROSETTE WOOD INLAID 1p WR101 US $15.00 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 17:35:50 PST   | Watch this Item

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAPLE ROSETTE WOOD INLAID 1p WR104 US $15.00 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 17:38:06 PST   | Watch this Item

FIVE GUITAR ROSETTES / INLAY, SOUND HOLE #1-27-5 US $19.95 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 19:54:47 PST   | Watch this Item

FIVE GUITAR ROSETTES / INLAY, SOUND HOLE #1-27-10 US $19.95 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 19:55:50 PST   | Watch this Item

FIVE GUITAR ROSETTES / INLAY, SOUND HOLE #1-27-7 US $19.95 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 19:56:44 PST   | Watch this Item

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAPLE ROSETTE WOOD INLAID 1p WR--101 US $15.00 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 20:29:20 PST   | Watch this Item

ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAPLE ROSETTE WOOD INLAID 1p WR--100 US $15.00 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 20:29:20 PST   | Watch this Item

While I want to do a profile on Ervin Somogyi and his guitar making sometime soon, I thought I would concentrate today on some of the fantastic work he does in carving lute roses.

Ervin uses a lot of historical influences as you would expect. After all it’s not unusual for any instrument maker to “borrow” from the past and use existing designs. It seems to be a little more prevalent with violin and lute makers though. Not all of the designs that Ervin uses, however, are from existing instruments but rather a varied and wide ranging assortment of ideas and designs found in books and paintings as well as architecture, furniture, interior decoration and other historical references.

While not every lute rose that Ervin creates will actually wind up being in an instrument the work is, nonetheless, extraordinary. Indeed many of these roses will end up in beautifully crafted jewelry boxes and pieces of furniture as well as grace the walls of those clients fortunate enough to be able to afford these works of art. Whether it’s on a wall, a box or an instrument though the dedication, craftsmanship and the attention to detail found in the roses is the same.

To check out some of the beautiful imagery that Ervin Somogyi creates with his lute roses, click here.

To find out more about him and his work as a guitar maker, click here.

And stay tuned for a profile on Ervin’s lutherie here soon.

Archtop Jazz Guitar Rosewood Bridge + Chrome Adjustable Height Hardware US $18.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 17:47:04 PST   | Watch this Item

Vintage De Armond Pickup for Gibson L-5 Super 400 or Any Archtop Jazz Guitar US $999.99 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 23:49:07 PST   | Watch this Item

Gibson L-5 Studio Archtop Jazz Guitar L5 L 5 US $3,999.99 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 23:49:26 PST   | Watch this Item

Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster Archtop Jazz Guitar ES5 L 5 US $4,499.99 Auction Ends: Monday Feb-06-2012 23:49:42 PST   | Watch this Item

Genuine HOFNER 6 string GUITAR BRIDGE jazz/archtop US $61.62 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Tuesday Feb-07-2012 5:19:01 PST   | Watch this Item

Archtop Jazz Electric Guitar Musical Instrument Ornament - Hollowbody, F Hole US $9.95 Auction Ends: Tuesday Feb-07-2012 9:18:57 PST   | Watch this Item

Schaefer 16 Jazz Archtop Guitar US $4,200.00 Auction Ends: Tuesday Feb-07-2012 9:31:16 PST   | Watch this Item

Heritage Eagle Archtop Jazz Hollowbody Guitar w/OHSC US $1,799.99 Auction Ends: Tuesday Feb-07-2012 10:23:56 PST   | Watch this Item