The May 1999 issue of Acoustic Guitar featured Mark Twain's guitar on the back page. It was a 2 1/2-17 built about 1835 by C F Martin Sr. Twain bought it about 1861. It has Brazilian rosewood back and sides with a spruce top. The guitar was given before Twain's death to Col. John Hancock - a desendant of the same John Hancock that signed the Declaration of Independence.