France
Francois Rene LaCote

Wood, pearl, ebony
Mid 1800s
Total Length: 37 inches
Strings – Lutes – Guitars

This small classical parlor guitar – Paganini type, is labeled “Husson et Duchène, Rue Grenetat 15, Paris.”  This may possibly be incorrect, as the maker may be “Francois Rene LaCote, Paris” based on the bridge/saddle design, ornate design, dimensions, peghead and tuning machines . It has a fine spruce top and the back and sides are maple laminated to very close-grained spruce, which is visible on the inside. The bridge is made of serpentine-ebony. Particularly spectacular and noteworthy is the beautiful inlay and fingerboard with 11 scenes of Paris landscape carved in mother-of-pearl and ebony. This instrument is completely original except for bridge scrolls, which were added later.

According to Early Romantic Gutar.com:  “Lacôtes are a bit inbetween the Spanish and the Viennese guitars. They are described as having a refined, elegant, and complex sound. French guitars were very popular, and most of the guitarists based in France played French guitars. Italians such as Ferranti and Carulli later played Lacote, as did most of the leading musicians in Paris.

Rene Lacôte is the most well-known French guitar builder mostly due to the endorsement of Sor, Carulli, and others mentioned above. Lacote ran a large retail shop and labeled guitars for sale by other builders as well, thus the period Lacote guitar, as seen here, is very hard to find and authenticate.”

The parlor guitar is a compact and narrow-waisted instrument.  The name comes from the rooms in which these guitars were typically played in the 19th century.

Resource: https://earlyromanticguitar.com/erg/builders.htm#lacote