The Austin-Marie Collection book offers a unique journey through three centuries of guitar making, from the dawn of the baroque era in the early seventeenth century to the birth of the modern classical guitar in the latter part of the nineteenth century. With stunning photography by David Bishop and exquisite design by renowned artists Robert Rigel and Guy Diehl, the book is a visual masterpiece. The accompanying luthier biographies, written with the expert guidance of guitar historians Christopher Page and James Westbrook, are informative and fascinating, providing an invaluable resource for the serious student and enthusiast alike.

The accompanying compendium book includes interviews with contemporary luthiers who restored instruments in the Austin-Marie Collection. James Westbrook examines X-rays of select guitars and explains the varied construction practices that historical luthiers used to make them. An included appendix provides the dimensions and materials used for each guitar in the collection.

MIM’s special exhibition Stradivarius and the Golden Age of Violins and Guitars includes several extraordinary instruments from the Austin-Marie Collection.