Sentchordi Hermanos (Valencia, Spain, c. 1861-1905)

The Sentchordi Hermanos firm made a variety of guitars, bandurrias, 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).   

I wonder how a guitar from Valencia Spain, that was made 120 years ago ends up in a small auction house just north of Toronto. As I walked into the auction house, I didn't even have a chance to get my bidder number. The auctioneer was holding up this guitar calling it a child's guitar because of the size. All I saw was the ornamentation and the rich dark colour of a fine old instrument.  I put my hand up while waiting in line to register, 3 dollars, who will give me 3 dollars, the auctioneer called out. Unreal this guy didn't know what he was selling. Apparently neither did any of the other locals, mostly farmers looking for tools. 7 dollars sold... It was like music to my ears. I did not even see the guitar except from 50 feet away as I walked in the door. (In a previous post I had suggested looking your guitar over completely before purchasing.) It was pretty beat up around the edges but still quite playable and sounds very classic.The guitar has 52 points of abalone around the sound hole, I assume one for each week of the year.   
While visiting Spain one year we went to the builders address, It is now a candy shop.....my two favourite things.