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RobJe -> RE: Help identifying age of an Esteso (Jul. 9 2017 10:12:54)
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Domingo Esteso died in 1937. I attach a 1945 label which shows how the “4” was written making it easier to interpret your label. Your guitar is dated 1944.
“Vda” on the label stands for “viuda” which means “widow”. Translated the label reads “Widow and Nephews of Domingo Esteso”. She provided the “Esesto” name and the workshop in Calle Gravina. The nephews made the guitars. These nephews were Faustino and Mariano Conde. Mariano was the father of Felipe and Mariano junior currently selling guitars under their own names. Esteso’s wife Nicolasa Salamanca used to varnish his guitars - she might even have varnished this one for her nephews.
The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 reduced guitar making in Spain to a tiny trickle. Young men in Spain were too busy killing each other. Production was not much improved during World War 2. This guitar is a very early example of the cooperation between Nicolasa and her nephews.
So the good news is firstly that the guitar represents an interesting bit of history and secondly that with a bit of loving care these old guitars are often delightful to play (although not meeting the demands of modern professionals). The less promising news is that the label is unsigned, possibly indicating a guitar of lower quality in terms of the wood used.
If you have any work done on it, make sure it is a luthier who knows something about guitars of this period. It would be easy to fall into the hands of a repairer who would lessen rather than enhance the value.
I have seen good signed examples of the period advertised for $5500 (1944), £3650 (1947) and 8000 euros (1945 classical). I do not know if they sold at these prices.
Rob
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