Body in spruce and Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra). Soundhole rosette with decorative inlays in circular layers of green, brown, red, and natural wood forming geometric motifs. Outer binding with wheat ear pattern. Neck in cedar with fingerboard in ebony. Over-saddle in ivory. Tuning pegs made by "Fustero" in Barcelona in gold-plated brass. Height 101, width 36.5, depth 9.5 cm, saddle width 5. Neck width at the 12th fret 6.5 cm. Custom-made guitar case from "Mark L. Leaf" included. The case is made of moulded fiberglass with a packing seal in the lid for air- and watertightness. Built-in hygrometer for monitoring humidity inside the case. Information from Mark L Leaf, as well as a price list from 1976, is included.
A thin crack on the back of the body approximately 38 cm, a thin crack on the front of the body approximately 16 cm. Not fully examined.
Provenance
Josef Holeček (1939–2025) was a Czech-Swedish guitarist, professor, and composer active in Gothenburg. He gave solo concerts in several countries across Europe as well as in the USA and Australia. He has participated in several recordings such as Britten / Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1976), Romantic Guitar Music (1982/1995),
More information
Ignacio Fleta (1897-1977) was one of the foremost guitar makers in the world, creating instruments with a unique, warm tone. With roots in a family of distinguished craftsmen, he began studying under some of the leading violin makers of the time, such as Etienne Maire and Philippe Le Duc – an experience that would prove crucial for his guitar constructions.
From 1927, when Ignacio Fleta established his own workshop in Barcelona, he increasingly focused on guitar making. This was after spending over a decade working with his two brothers in a shared studio, concentrating on violin and cello making. From 1955 onwards, he devoted himself exclusively to guitar making – just four years before the auction's lot was constructed.
Through innovations inspired by violin making, Fleta achieved a stability in his instruments that, along with his careful adjustments of the proportions of certain elements in the guitars and traditional methods of applying varnishes, resulted in a unique tonal range in his instruments, which have been performed on by greats such as Andrés Segovia and John Williams.
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CITES certificate included for this lot
