The guitar came into the collection as a gift of the Basel merchant Albert Emanuel Hoffmann-Burckhardt, Milan.

Pons was a well-known guitar-maker in Paris and later in London.

The young textile merchant Albert Emanuel Hoffmann (1826 - 1896) was sent by his father, the silk-ribbon producer Emanuel Hoffmann to Milan, where he stayed for a while. There he ran a drapery business and enjoyed the social and cultural life of the city. He rented a piano, made music and sang with a musician friend.

He kept a diary from August 1845 until his death. On 12 October 1845 he wrote:
'Bought an excellent guitar which cost me Frs. 200. It comes from Princess Charlotte of England, who received it as a gift from General Pino. The guitar dealer bought it from his estate. It is probably the most beautiful guitar in Europe. I shall have to watch my budget, so that it won't be too expensive. Furthermore, I was given a written guitar-course which would have cost me 9 Frs. I practiced that same night and Mr. Hees turned out to be an excellent guitar virtuoso.'

NB: Dom Pino (1760 - 1826) of Milan was a supporter of the Italian Independence movement and an opponent to Austria.
Luise Charlotte, nee Princess of Prussia, was Tsarina of Russia.

In 1862 Albert E. Hoffmann returned to Basel and settled here. He took care of his family and was also politically involved in the city.