C. F. Martin Sr. and Henry Schatz had been employed together at Stauffer in Vienna in the 1820s. Schatz left for America a few years before Martin and opened a musical import business in Philadelphia.

From early 1835 until about September 1836 the two luthiers formed a partnership under the name Martin & Schatz. The partnership may actually have ended a little earlier since it appears Schatz had moved to the Cherry Hill PA area in the spring of 1836.

I know of only five Martin & Schatz guitars still in existence.

Guitar made during the partnership contain a very distinctive label. Eventhough Martin had only been in New York for just over a year this is the third type of label he had put into use.

This guitar had suffered the vagaries of a long life but was lovingly restored to playable condition by T. J. Thompson, including a fresh French polish finish. The moustache bridge is a very good replacement and faithfully reproduces the "hertzchen" or "little heart" inlays that decorate the down-turned ends of the bridge.

The trefoil inlays around the sound hole were called "eichenlaub" or "oak leaves" by Martin.

The tuners are today generally referred to as belonging to a "Stauffer head stock" but Martin called these "one side screws" or "Vienna screws".

The guitar contains a repair label indicating the guitar was repaired in 1882 by E. J. Albert of Philadelphia who went on to become a dealer of Martin mandolins and guitars in the latter half of the 1890s.

The case is original although in rough condition. It is very well constructed and would be what Martins called a "fine" case, identified by the bolsters that supported the waist of the guitar.

Dimensions:

Width across lower bout: 11-3/8"                                  Depth of guitar at the bottom end: 3-1/4"
Width across waist: 6-3/4"                                             Depth of guitar at waist: 3-1/8"
Width across upper bout: 8-7/8"                                  Depth of guitar at neck block: 2-5/8"
Length of body: 17-1/8"                                                   Total length of guitar: 36-3/4"
Width of neck at nut: 1-11/16"                                       Width of neck at 12th fret: 2-1/8"
Diameter of sound hole: 3"                                             Number of frets: 22
Scale length: 23-1/8"

Back and sides: Zebrawood (Goncalvo alves), one piece back

Top: European spruce (very fine grained)