..... was working in Ravenswood Illinois in the 1880s Cubley was an earlier maker and one of the first to use a metal rod for the dowel stick and a metal/metal spun pot. In 1893 he was involved in a Patent dispute with Henry Dobson’s wife Catherine who claimed that these metal pots infringed her patents with regard to the improved tone from the Dobson bell shaped metal tone ring. Cubley argued successfully that his banjos used metal differently and had inferior tone to the Dobson’s and the claim was dismissed. What this does show however is how big the banjo industry had become in the 1890’s that this case had to be decided by the US Supreme Court images courtesy of Richard Evans estate Edwin J Cubley next maker

Hanning is said to have maintained a workshop in Forsyth Street, New York City, between the years of 1860 and 1890. Hanning was quoted by CL Partee as having “furnished a well finished, compactly made and full fine-toned banjo” No other reference to this early maker of banjos has been discovered. Writing in the “Banjo Word” for January 1898, Willoughby Maycock said “when James Bohee came over here (England) with Haverly he was playing a smooth nickel necked banjo made by Hammig of New York. He played it before President Grant and all over the USA” . Hammig .. Hanning .. a misprint or misspelling? Hanning Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

.. began studying the banjo in 1886 at the age of nine and three years later obtained a position with the Chicago firm of Lyon & Healy ; he once said that his principle duty was dusting the instruments. He played his first professional engagement at the World Fair in Chicago in 1893 and from that time on was an entertainer a local clubs and in vaudeville. At one time he was partner to Parke Hunter in a “Mays & Hunter” team. In 1910 he moved back to Chicago where he established a teaching studio “with a department for the repair of banjos”. It has been said that he also made banjos but the instruments bearing his name were probably made for him by Lyon & Healy. Thomas W Carey 1877 to ... Do you have a banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

also see Haynes Bay State Pictures courtesy of Intermountain Guitar and Banjo next maker

A zither-banjo with the name of Hunt of Scarborough, Yorks, on it as maker has passed through A.P.Sharpe’s hands but no details of either Mr. Hunt or his instruments have come to light. It is possible he was a local banjo teacher who had instruments made for him for re-sale. C Hunt Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

Elias Howe 1820 to 1895 next maker EH & Co. was founded in 1840 by Elias Howe Jr, made banjos in the last quarter of the 19th C in the Boston Mass., area. (He should not be confused with his cousin Elias Howe who was born in 1819 and invented the sewing machine.) He started out as a student of the fiddle and in 1840 published a book of the tunes he had collected and this developed into a music publishing business, the rights to which he sold to Oliver Ditson in 1842. During the Civil war he made drums and fifes for the Massechusetts Regiment and no doubt his knowledge of drums spilled over into banjo making in the early 1880's. The company bought out HC Barnes in 1898 and had numerous models in two ranges of banjos, their Academy (bottom end) and Superbo (top end)). Images courtesty of the estate of Richard Evans

Joseph Wallis 1826 - next maker Joseph Wallis a flute maker founded his company in 1848 and it initially grew making woodwind and brass instruments then went on to include the piano, harmonium and organ. It became Joseph Wallis and Son in 1883 operating out of 133-5 Euston Road London and was exporting instruments all over the world. The company won medals at the 1885 London Exhibition and about that time was importing either Banjos or Banjo parts (and assembling them) from JH Buckbee in New York. He was still listed as a banjo/multiple musical in strument maker out of the same address in 1915. 6 or 7 string banjos were specifically made for the English market and are rarely seen it the USA. The originally gut strung example clearly shows the “JHB” of Buckbee and includes the "Guaranteed American Made" impression on the dowel stick. Images courtesy of Maurice Benton

.... was closely associated with the fretted instrument industry for over forty years. He played the banjo with the Moore & Burgess Minstrels and The Stavordales but was more widely known for his long partnership with Arthur Stanley Sr. The team of Stanley & Greenop toured every Music Hall in the United Kingdom from 1903 more than once and even did a tour of South Africa. The partnership broke up just prior to the outbreak of World War I. At the turn of the century, Norton Greenop designed and sold the first banjos to bear his name as maker but these instruments were made for him by John E. Dallas . They included several unusual features and were a cross between a banjo and a zither banjo with a lot of metal in the hoop. The tone was inclined to be metallic. In 1926 John Alvey Turner Ltd. were agents for his "Tonetube" banjos, plectrum- banjos and tenor banjos. Again this was a zither-banjo type of instrument, the brackets passing through circular tubes which were said to add tone to the instrument, "functioning as the sound post of the violin. Instead of the hoop being enclosed at the back (ala zither banjo) it had a concave "receiving pan" insert "to project the tone forwards." At this time Norton Greenop was carrying on a music business at Leigh-on-Sea, Essex and conducting his own dance band. He died on December 27th, 1930, after playing at a dance. Images courtesy of Glen Morris Norton Greenop 1868 to 1930 next maker

G Tester next maker The name G Tester, Clapham (in Surrey) appears on the perch pole of this well made banjo. Nothing else is known of this maker/retailer/owner, however it has all the hallmarks of a Richard Spencer made banjo dating from around 1910-15. Bertolle sold the "B&T" model which was almost certainly made by the same maker. Note the bracket nuts inside the pot of this instrument which are identical to both the B&T and the CE "Imperial" model of the same period .. and they both have the "Spencer" style laminated neck.

.. was born in St Joseph Montana in 1852 and in his younger days worked as a stone mason. He became interested in wood working and mechanics of various kinds and became skilled in the use of a wide range of tool based skills. As a hobby he played the banjo (extremely well say critics of the period) and while still a young man joined a minstrel troupe with which he toured extensively for several years. His familiarity with minstrel performers and theatrical people , coupled with the growing demand for banjos induced him to open a factory in Chicago in 1870. He became one of the greatest banjo makers in America (as far as quality was concerned) and it was said the reason for the excellence of Schall’s banjos was due to the fact that he was an exceptionally skilled mechanic who worked at the bench beside his five employees. His banjos became justly celebrated and were in demand among all the leading banjoists of the day. In 1881 Clarence L Partee became the manager of his offices and showrooms and in addition he taught banjo “by note”. Schall sold all the banjos he and his five workmen could manufacture and received high prices for them, but he would not enlarge his factory to keep pace with the growth in demand for his instruments. Also, prosperity proved too much for his and as soon as he had accumulated a few thousand dollars he would neglect his business until he had spent the money and then returned to the factory floor. By1893 he was also making banjos for the celebrated banjoist E Hall who had a teaching studio in Chicago, and James Waldo. In his absence , with no foreman in charge, his workmen could not be relied upon to keep up the standards and when new less skilled workmen replaced the older ones quality suffered and poor instruments were produced. About 1895 Schall suffered a stroke and had to close his business down. He eventually recovered but for several years suffered from chronic rheumatism and partial paralysis. In 1905 his health had improved enough for him to open a small banjo shop (over which he lived alone) and he started to make banjos by himself for professional players although orders were scarce. He did make a banjo for Bert Earl in 1907. He died in dramatic circumstances in around 1907 when he was 55. He had just completed two banjos for an act appearing at the Olympic Theatre in Chicago and the players invited him to hear their performance. Occupying a front seat on the balcony he was listening intently to the instruments he had made when he suddenly rose out of his seat with a choking cry and appeared that he would fall over the balcony when he collapsed to the floor. Ushers rushed to his aid and carried him into the foyer where they attempted to resuscitate him. The act on stage had continued unaware that Schall was dying on the balcony. Once he partially gained consciousness , opened his eyes and murmured “I can go home now” and as the act on stage burst into the last bars of a popular song JB Schall breathed his last. Images courtesy of the estate of Richard Evans J B Schall 1852 - 1907 next maker

.. was born in Hampton Wick, Middlesex. From the early 1880s until 1913, Alfred Smith, of Grove Road and, after January 1895, Penrhyn Road, Kingston on-Thames, Surrey, was a successful teacher of the banjo, mandolin and guitar and a public performer on these instruments. In addition, he conducted a successful amateur B. M. & G. orchestra of over thirty members, made up of his pupils. He also arranged successful concerts in and around Kingston. All these activities enabled his name to sell the banjos and zither-banjos bearing his name as maker but these were probably made for him by Parslow or Tilley . These images show his "Special" with the neck angle adjuster fitted. Alfred Smith 1873 to ... next maker