Baroque Guitar® This guitar, designed by Joachim Tielke(1641-1718) is probably the most richly decorated guitar ever crafted. Guitars like this are usually ordered by rich patrons with money to spare. This particular one is among the 15 from Tielke's shop to survive until this day. The sides of this guitar carry a floral patterns, and the whole guitar is generously decorated with tortoise shell, ivory and pewter, carrying Tielke's signature sunflower motif. The guitar itself tells a story; the decorations are interspersed with hunting scenes, putti, and animals from ancient mythology. Whew! And check out the soundhole!This one has a three-dimensional decoration all the way down. The guitar was originally built as a five-course instrument. The top course consists of a single string, while all the others carry pairs of strings tuned in unison or octaves. Click on the image for a complete view of the guitar.