In 1893 Clifford Essex and Alfred D. Cammeyer formed a partnership with offices and teaching studios at 59 Piccadilly, London.

At first, the banjos and zither-banjos they sold under the brand name of "Essex & Cammeyer" where made for them by Temlett, Weaver, Wilmshurst and Windsor .    

In 1895 they were appointed UK distributors for William A Cole (who had dissolved their business with AC Fairbanks in 1892) and then, in early in 1896, they opened their own workshops at 13 Greethen Street, Soho, and were soon employing fourteen workmen to make banjos and zither-banjos.

The partnership was dissolved in 1900 when no more "Essex & Cammeyer" instruments were produced.

Zither pictures courtesy of John Dukes

Imported Cole pictures courtesy of Musicalstash, interesting to note the earlier Windsor "Lyre" tailpiece used on this banjo .. not Cole but possibly original as widely used in England at the time.

This model is from their lower end "Boston" range as opposed to the higher end "Eclipse" range.