New photos of Django Reinhardt discovered

AndyW · October 15

https://michelmercier.fr/2024/10/11/django-reinhardt-nouvelles-photos-inedites-depuis-1947/

English text lower in article. Photos found in archives not seen for 77 years!

Buco · October 15

Whoa! With the mystery guitar nonetheles.

billyshakes · October 16

Maybe this is the guitar that George Benson was playing! 😂

PJD · October 22

Thanks for sharing! The guitar looks like a (Barthelemy) Hermitte, he was a luthier in Cannes.

http://luthiervents.blogspot.com/2011/01/

Guitare 1930-1940 Barhtelemy Hermitte Cannes.jpeg

Leboncoin Tractor Guitarre 1930-1940 Hermitte Cannes 3.jpg

PJD · October 22

wim · October 22

It was for 850 € on leboncoin

billyshakes · October 22

If I follow the link that @wim sent, is that a long crack along the length of the back of the neck up through part of the heel? Also wonder if those rubbed areas on the top near lower bouts (top & bottom) are cracks that have been repaired? But just given the age of the guitar, the shape of the headstock, the style of the fret inlays, and even the rosette design, the guitars would seem to be identical. The one Django is playing appears to have a pickguard perhaps screwed on and also a pickup.

How about Joseph's guitar? Looks like it might be curly or quilted maple with perhaps a little bean hole or smaller D-hole partly covered by the pickguard?. Three piece neck. Article suggests Di Mauro.

PJD · October 22

@wim haha yes it was still for sale when I posted the mystery guitar probably is a Hermitte.

PJD · October 22

@billyshakes it looks more like the high E string and its shadow that is broken, not a crack, but not 100% sure.

wim · October 22

photo same day maybe

Jojo · October 23

To me, it looks like someone has overpainted the body with ordinary household emulsion probably in the 60s. That marking on the body near the neck in the Django photo is like a chip of paint has come off