
10-1988 Maccaferri Plastic Violin, Serial Number E54
Produced: October 1988 Serial Number: E55 Comments: An early/experimental version of Mario Maccaferri’s plastic violin. Hand assembled. Included in the Guitar Heroes exhibit at The
Mario Maccaferri (American, b. Italy, 1900–1993), designer; Henri Selmer Paris, maker
Guitar, Jazz model (serial number 565), 1942
Spruce, rosewood; 7 3/4 x 24 5/8 in. (19.7 x 62.5 cm)
Private Collection
Maccaferri was from Cento, Italy, where he studied instrument building with Luigi Mozzani. Trained as a guitarist at the conservatory in Siena, Maccaferri toured as a soloist throughout Europe and eventually settled in London. The instrument manufacturer Henri Selmer asked Maccaferri to create a design for a guitar that could be used in jazz music. The resulting models, created for both jazz and classical music, have become iconic because of their use by the famed early jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. This example from 1942 has a smaller egg-shaped sound hole that was not a part of Maccaferri’s original design
Produced: 1942
Serial Number: 565
Comments:
Clearly from the time after Mario Maccaferri left Selmer and moved to New York. This guitar was included in the Guitar Heroes Exhibit at the Met in the same case as his other instruments.
According to page 249 of the F.Charle book. Number 565 is listed as a “Guitare palissandre” (Rosewood). Purchased by “Persey”, delivered to Brussels and manufactured on May, 8, 1942
Produced: October 1988 Serial Number: E55 Comments: An early/experimental version of Mario Maccaferri’s plastic violin. Hand assembled. Included in the Guitar Heroes exhibit at The
Produced: 1982-1983 Serial Number: 3 Comments: Marked with a #3 in white pencil inside of the body. This guitar was included in the Guitar Heroes Exhibit
Produced: 1965 Serial Number: N/A Comments: Part of the Guitar Heroes Exhibit at the Met. This plastic body flat top G30 guitar was built with
Mario Maccaferri (American, b. Italy, 1900–1993), designer; Henri Selmer Paris, makerGuitar, Jazz model (serial number 565), 1942Spruce, rosewood; 7 3/4 x 24 5/8 in. (19.7
Luigi Mozzani (Italian, 1869–1943)Chitarra-Lyra, or Harp Guitar, ca. 1915Maple, spruce, ebony; 17 1/2 x 33 in. (44.5 x 83.8 cm)The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
Mario Maccaferri (American, b. Italy, 1900–1993)Guitar, G-40 model, ca. 1953Plastic; 7 3/4 x 24 5/8 in. (19.7 x 62.5 cm)Private Collection Maccaferri moved to the