Lucien Gelas 1927 Hawaiian Guitar built for Rose Cornaz

Lucien Gelas 1927.

Hawaiian Guitar.

Built for Rose Cornaz.

#826.

Paris

Rare double-top Hawaiian guitar patented by Lucien Gelas and manufactured by Jean Rowies in Paris.

This is an historical instrument, the alchemy between virtuoso guitarist/visionary luthier Lucien Gelas and luthier Jean Rowies, 8 rue Pigalle, Paris, France.

A 1929 example is in the Music Museum of the Philharmonie de Paris, France.

A 1930 example is in the Music Museum of Mirecourt, France.

Lucien Gelas (1873-1944), was a luthier, classical guitarist, and teacher.

He composed works for solo guitar and accompanied voice, incorporating his own texts. Gelas owned the complete collection of Sor's works, published by Meissonnier and Pacini, now housed in the Spencer Collection at the Royal Academy of Music.

He is famous for designing and patenting a double-soundboard guitar, known as the Gelas guitar.

There is an interesting Wikipedia page about him:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucien_G%C3%A9las

This video on Youtube gives an idea of the sound of such a guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrt8wwg4Kdo

Rose CORNAZ. Born 30/08/1873

Harpist and guitarist of Swiss origin (born in Lausanne), naturalized French in 1922. She was a virtuoso guitarist of the French TSF

Rose Cornaz