AMSTERDAM.- Catawiki, the most-visited curated marketplace in Europe will offer this excellently maintained Manuel Ramirez guitar. It was commissioned by a young Andrés Segovia in 1914 and given by Andrés Segovia to the seller’s grandfather and friend of Segovia: Enrique Anaya Padilla. Segovia and Padilla both lived in the town of Linares, where Padilla was an amateur classical guitarist and Professor of Mathematics. The guitar was originally signed, but the signature was erased during a restoration by José Ramirez in 1995.

Andrés Segovia (1893-1987) was a Spanish musician who is still regarded by many as one of the foremost guitarists of his time. He is credited with being responsible for establishing the acoustic guitar as a concert instrument in the 20th century and was known for his expressive and technically sophisticated style.

Alex Becker, guitar expert at Catawiki: “Andres Segovia was an extraordinary musician of global historical importance. This guitar is one of the most significant musical instruments to ever be offered at auction. We know there will be an enormous amount of interest worldwide.”

Manuel Ramirez (1864-1916) owned one of the most important guitar workshops of the early 20th century. Ramirez, luthier of the Real Conservatorio de Madrid, surrounded himself with the finest guitar builders at the time (including, for example: Santos Hernandez, Domingo Esteso, Modesto Borreguero, and Pascual Viudes) and dedicated himself to ensuring the survival of the ‘Torres’ design of guitar making. Ramirez started making guitars for Segovia in 1912, and an earlier guitar made by Ramirez for Segovia is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, along with Segovia's 1937 Hauser I.

Patrick Vranken, category manager music at Catawiki: “We are honored to offer a guitar from the most important acoustic guitar player in the world, Andres Segovia. The 1914 Manual Ramirez guitar is a holy grail in the guitar world, but having being owned and played by the genius Segovia himself is more than extraordinary. We hope this remarkable guitar finds the very special home it deserves at auction. To quote the master Segovia himself: “Lean your body forward slightly to support the guitar against your chest, for the poetry of the music should resound in your heart.””