Alcaraz, Juan (Valencia c. 1850)
Juan Alcaraz was a luthier in Valencia around the middle of the nineteenth century active from 1843 to 1867. In addition to guitars, he made cellos and contra basses.
Joaquín Bargues (Valencia active c. 1900)
Joaquín Bargues was a guitar maker active in Valencia active prior to World War I.
Salvador Blanch (Valencia c. 1900)
Salvador Blanch was a well-known maker with a reputation for making pretty guitars who was active in Valencia prior to World War I. He also made a few violins.
José Boludo (Valencia c. 1900)
José Boludo was a guitar maker who was active in Valencia at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Beltran Salvador Calatayud (Valencia c. first half 20th century)
Beltran Salvador Calatayud was of Basque origin, but plied his trade in Valencia in the first half of the twentieth century.
Ramon Castelló (Valencia, active c. 1930).
Ramon Castelló, a luthier in Valencia, was among the most famous guitar makers of the Levant. In addition to classical and flamenco guitars, he also built bandurrias.
Salvador Gaspar (Valencia 1874-1942)
Salvador Gaspar was a luthier from in Valencia. He was born in 1874 in Pueblo Nuevo del Mar, Valencia. He apprenticed with Salvador Ibañez, and began building under his own name in 1898. In 1908 he open a workshop first at calle Alta 58, later he move to calle Alta 54. In 1909 and 1910, his guitars won gold medals first at a regional and then at a national expedition. He died in 1942. He trained his son, Austin Gaspar Cebrian (1907-1992), who took over the shop when he died. In 1960, he moved the work shop to the calle Moro Zeit 2. When Agustin retired in 1984, his son, Vicente Caspar Guzman (b.1948), who Agustin had trained took over, and moved the workshop to calle Sanchís Bergón 20. About 2000, Vicente's son-in-law, Naza, joined the firm, and in 2010, they moved to workshop again to the calle Moro Zeit 2. Although the firm still makes a variety of strings instruments, it now makes more electric guitars than classical or flamenco guitars.
Salvador Ibañez (b. 1854-d. 1920) (Valencia, Firm active c. 1865-1933).
Salvador Ibañez, was born in 1854 and was a luthier active in Valencia in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Salvador set up a factory in 1883. Salvardor Ibañez has been described as a man of determination who starting with a small workshop slowly built his business at the expense of his competitors into the largest guitar factory in Spain. By 1900, this factory produced 36,000 instruments a year, and employed 100 men and women workers. He had two sons, Vicente (d.1950) and Salvador (1887-1967), who took over the firm after his death in 1920. The business continued under his sons until 1933, when it was sold to Telesforo Julve Jordan. Vicente died in 1950; Salvador in 1967. During its existance address associated with the firm included (1865) Muela 23; (1870) Cubells 11; (1892) Ruzafa 8; (1896) Bajada de San Francisco 23, 27; (1897 Bajada de San Francisco 27 and Hospital 16; (1898) Bajada de San Francisco 23 and Padre Rico 6; (1929-1933) Padre Rico 6. Among those he trained or worked for him were Andres Marin and Salvado Gaspar.
(For more detail see http://members.upc.nl/a.bogaard241/index_bestanden/TelesforoJulveResearch4.htm)
Telesforo Julve Jordán b. 1884- d. 1945 (Valencia, active 1909-1945)
Telesforo Julve Jordán was born in 1887 in Villarroya de los Pinares, Teruel, and died in Valencia in 1945. He was a luthier with a good reputation that was active in Valencia circa from the late nineteenth century into the 1930s. Like many luthiers of the period, he built classical guitars with a tornavoz. His shop was located on the He was succeed by his two sons, Telesforo Julve Torres (1917-2000) and Juan Julve Torres (1923-1996). Teleforo Julve apprenticed with his uncle Andres Marin. In 1909 he set up a work shop at Arzobispo Mayoral, No. 11 with Francisco Armengol Barrera and Francisco Lloréns. In 1915, the company changed its name to Lloréns y Julve, and shortly after changed its address to Arzobispo Mayoral, No. 13. By 1917, the firm was simply Teleforo Julve, continuing at the same address until 1932. Existing labels suggest that they also had a shop from 1924 until 1944 at Mariana Pinada 4. From 1944 until at least 1974 their address was San Francisco 4.
(More great detail see: http://members.upc.nl/a.bogaard241/index_bestanden/TelesforoJulveResearch3.htm
Photograph courtesy of Felix Manzanero.
Andrés Marin, (Valencia, active 1880s-1950s)
Andrés Marin was one of the most renowned makers in Valencia. He married the widow of Agustin Almonacid, who had a guitar factory at Calle Barcelona 17, becoming his successor, around 1882. The factory made guitars, bandurrias, laudes, mandolines, citterns, and a variety of other fretted instruments. According to his label, he had won medals for his guitars in 1882 and 1883. When he died his son, Andres Marin Collado, took over, and moved the factory to Turis, but maintained a retail outlet on the Avda. del Oeste in Valencia. The Spanish Civil war was very hard on the business. After his death, the factory limped along first under the direccion of his daughter, Lola Marin Soucase, and then under her son, before going bankrupt in 1952. Address associated with this firm include: (1882) Barcelonia 17; (1910) Barcelonia 17 and General Prim 19; (1930) Barcelonia 15 and 17; (1945) Bacelonia 17 was renamed Hermanas Chabat 17; (1953) Barón de Cárcer 35.
(For more detail see http://members.upc.nl/a.bogaard241/index_bestanden/TelesforoJulveResearch9.htm)
Photograph courtesy of Felix Manzanero.
Vicente Parres (Valencia c. active 1889-1912)
In 1889, Vicente Parres was one of the partners who with Juan Ponce Parres establish the Salvador Sancho C.A. guitar factory at Carrera San Luis, 45. This company was disolved in 1905 when Salvador left for Argentina. In 1907 Parres is listed in the trade guides has having a guitar factory, Parres y Cía, at Carrera de Melilla, Traste 1, num 25, with offices at Caballero 55, bajo, Valerncia. Between 1908-19, the factory moved to Carretera de Millina 23, but also had a shop at Cabelleros 55. In the catelog of 1912, Juan Ponce is listed as being the successor of Parres y Cia. A couple of examples are found in the Felix Manzanero collection.
Photograph courtesy of Felix Manzanero.
Francisco Pau (Valencia, active late 19th century)
Francisco Pau was another member of the Pau family of makers active in the late 19th century. An example of one of his guitars made in 1880 is listed in the collection of Felix Manzanero.
Photograph courtesy of Felix Manzanero.
José Pau (Valencia, active late 19th century)
José Pau was a luthier from Valencia who in the late nineteenth century moved to Uruguay.
Salvador Pau (Valencia, active c. 1830s-1850s)
Salavador Pau was a guitar maker in Valencia active in the middle of the nineteenth century. He had his shop on the Calle Bolseria.
Manuel Pérez (Valencia, active c. 1840s)
Manuel Pérez was a guitar maker active in Valencia circa 1840s.
Juan Ponce (Valencia, active c. 1889-1920)
Juan Ponce was a guitar maker in Valencia in the later part of the nineteenth century and early part of the twentyth century. In 1889, Juan Ponce Parres, Vicente Parres, and Salvador Sancho established a guitar factory, Salvador Sancho, C.A. This company was disolved in 1905, with the departure of Salvador Sancho for Argentina. In 1907 Vicente Parres opened opened a factory, presumably with Juan, Parres y Cia on the calle Caballeros, num 55, Valencia. In 1912, Juan began Vicente Parres successor, and his general catelog listed guitars made in the French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish styles, as well as bandurrias, laudes, citterns, and assorted other stringed instruments and flamenco accessories. This company is last mention in the trade guides in 1920, as having also a shop at Calle Salinas 10. One of his guitars is listed in the collection of Felix Manzanero.
Luis Reig (Valencia, active c. 1840s-1860s)
Luis Reig was a guitar maker from Valencia active around the middle of the nineteenth century whose guitars were awarded prizes by the King of Spain. His guitars followed French tastes. The one in the Manzanero collection made in 1845 is elaborately decorated and shows the high quality of his work. His shop was on the Calle Bolseria along with other guitar makers.
Alejandro Roca (Valencia, active c. 1850s)
Alejandro Roca was a guitar builder who apparently worked with his brothers and was active in Valencia in the first half of the nineteenth century.
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Salvador Sáncho Soler (Valencia, active c. 1889-1920)
Salvador Sáncho Soler (1874-1942) was a luthier from Valencia that was active at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1882, at the age of 12, he seems to have apprenticed with Vicente Tatay Alabau. In 1889, he began the Company Salvador Sancho, S.C., in partnership with Vicente Parres Codoñer and Juan Ponce Parres, with a workshop at Carrera San Luis, 45. In 1905, the Company ceases, and Salvador goes with his brother to Argentina. A year later, Sancho was in Brazil. While his ventures in Brazil were so successful that there is a street in San Pao named in his honor, in 1914 he returned to Valencia, and starts a new company making not only guitars, but seats, and wood panels--Salvador Sancho Fábrica de Guitarras, Asientos y Tableros de Madera, located on Carrera de San Luis, 7. In 1920, Sancho stops making guitars, and concentrates on wood products. While he died in 1942, this wood products company still exists, and is one of the most important factories of its kind in Spain.
An example of one his guitars built in 1890s is listed in the collection of Felix Manzanero.
Photograph courtesy of Felix Manzanero.
Ricardo Sánchís Nacher (Valencia, 1881-1960)
Founder of the Sanchis factory, Ricardo established a workshop in 1915 in Masanana in the Province of Valencia. His guitars were patterned after the school or Salvador Ibáñez. However, he had close personal ties with Domingo Esteso and Manuel Ramirez as well.
Vicente Saurit (Valencia, active c. 1930)
Vicente Saurit was a luthier active in Valencia circa 1930 whose shop was on Pasaje Santa Lucia, no. 87. His guitars were noted from their exceptional voices.
Sentchordi Hermanos (Valencia, active c. 1861-1905)
The Sentchordi Hermanos firm made a variety of guitars, bandurrias, violins, and other instruments in Valencia from 1861 until 1905. The shop was on the Calle de la Bolseria No. 5. and the two brothers traced their roots to Manuel Sentchordi (1700-1765).
Manuel Sentchordi (Valencia, b. 1700 d. 1765)
Manuel Sentchordi was born in Valencia about 1700. He made both guitars and violins. Some of his guitars made in his shop of the calle Nazaret in the 1720s have survived. They are beautiful instruments that reveal his skills at doing inlays. His violins, violas, and cellos, however, do not show the same levels of skill.
Miguel Simón Moya (Valencia, active 1860s)
Miguel Simón Moya was a guitar maker active in Valencia circa the 1860s.
Vicente Tatay (Valencia, b. 1869 active c. 1889-1942)
Vicente Tatay was a guitar maker in Valencia. Vicente established his workshop in 1889. It was like most workshops of the era with the father teaching and supervising his sons so that some day they could take over the family business. The family business soon began to grow, and they had to hire extra help to meet the demand. They slowly began to look for ways to increase their production by mechanizing some aspects of building. Thus, slowly but surely their workshop was transformed into a factory. The firm Vicente Tatay founded has grown into a major factory producing some 40,000 instruments a year. Vicente Tatay retired in 1942, and the firm was taken over by his sons José and Vicente Tatay Tomás who formed a company Hijos de Vicente Tatay.
Photograph courtesy of Felix Manzanero.
Francisco Torres (Valencia, active c. 1930)
Francisco Torres was a guitar maker in Valencia who had his shop on the calle Recaredo No. 86. Active circa 1930, he founded a factory that exported guitars world wide.