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

Frank Goscha of Philadelphia is mentioned as having been one of the early banjo makers in America but no details of him or his products have ever come to light. Philadelphia was a centre of activity for banjo making in the early 1880’s and it may be that he was one of the wood workers that cashed in on the banjo craze. Frank Goscha Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

.. of Reading, Berkshire put his name as maker on banjos around about the turn of the 20th century'. A specimen seen had a 10 inch hoop of nickel silver with 36 brackets. 'The fingerboard was inlaid with 17 frets; the remaining space of the fingerboard being taken up with of a large crescent and star in mother-of-pearl inlaid into the ebony. The ornate inlays in the fingerboard were of mother of pearl and diamantÆ stars. No details have been discovered of Deane but it is possible he was a local teacher and the banjos were made for him - possibly Windsor or Abbott. October 2012: Arthur W Deane born October 1865 in Henley on Thames and was living in Reading St Lawrance and registered as a carpenter in the 1901 census, aged 35. His wife Elizabeth ( b 1867) was a music teacher. The banjo referred to in Sharpe's original text has been located and these are the pictures of it. Living near Reading he would have had easy access to London by train and would have been able to buy the hardware to make banjos from dealers in London probably making the necks and doing the inlays himself. Arthur William Deane 1865 - 1909 next maker

... of 263 Camberwell Road, London in 1895, was one of three brothers, Charles A, Henry G and Walter J all of whom were makers of musical instruments. (Brother Henry gained fame as a builder of organs) . He was still making banjos there in 1915. Chas. Hudson worked in a music shop and started the South London Banjo Studio in 1888. He was a clever maker and repairer of musical instruments and specialised in the zither- banjo which he always fitted with extra-wide frets to facilitate the smooth playing of the slide or slur." In the early 1890’s he was well known as a player of the banjo and gave concerts at the Surrey Masonic Hall and was working from home in his own employment. He made all the instruments bearing his name and it is interesting to note he was the inventor of the mandolin-banjo with a hoop like a miniature zither-banjo, which he patented in 1899. (no 1484) He died in 1946. for more on Hundson go here Charles Alfred Hudson 1866 to 1946 Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

.. was one of the leading banjo soloists of America, was born in 1871 , became a pupil of A A Farland and started his professional career at the age of 16 years. In 1890 he met a lady who was to become his wife and stage partner in tours that for many years took them across the USA from NY to California. In 1908 he opened a studio at Forestdale, Vermont and with the title of "The Bacon Manufacturing Company " first advertised the "Bacon Professional Banjo" which had been made for him by the Vega Co . of Boston Mass. By 1921 he had formed the Bacon Banjo Co. with a factory at Grotton, Conn. to manufacrure instruments that were said to "incorporate the ideas of tone and workmanship by the President Fred J Bacon" . Bacon banjos were in demand and the factory kept working overtime to fulfill orders. On September 18th 1922 David L Day, with 39 years of of experience behind him left the Vega company and joined the Bacon Banjo Co as Vice President and General Manager and sson after the instruments were branded with the "B&D Silver Bell" trade mark. The Depression of 1929 seriously affected the company's business and in 1939 it was taken over by Fred Gretch Mfg. co. Inc. of 60 Broadway Brooklyn, New York. which continued t0 make the "B&D" banjos. Fred Bacon died in 1948 and David L Day in 1956. for more information Pictures courtest of Smakula's Fretted Instruments www.banjoonmyknee.com Fred J Bacon .. 1871 to 1948 next maker

.. from Boston, MASS. A contemporary maker in the style of Fairbanks & Cole during the last decade of the 19th C. It is possible that he at one time worked for them and even sourced some of his components from them. Images by Dave Matchette, courtesy of Elderly Instruments Harry Oakes next maker