Item List James C Bertolle 1875 -1951 Read More

John G Abbott < Back John G Abbott 1878 to 1938 Abbott trained as a cabinet maker and was a maker of banjos from about 1895 and sold under his own name and made for other firms and teachers (e.g. Barnes & Mullins, John Alvey Turner, Norton Greenop, Charles Skinner, Len Shevill, G. Scarth). When Barnes &, Mullins came to London in 1901,and soon after, started their own workshops at Harrow, Middlesex, John G. Abbott supervised the making of the Barnes & Mullins banjos and zither-banjos. In 1905 he left Barnes & Mullins to form his own company with the title of J. G (George). Abbott & Co. and a factory at 97/99 Hampstead Road, London, N.W.l. The instruments they made were grouped under the general names of "Mirabile" (banjos), "Monarch" (plectrum-banjo and tenor-banjos) and Amboyna" (Zither-banjos). About 1928 his workshops were transferred to 44 Chalton Street,Euston Road (where his son-learned the art of instrument making) and four years later he became, part of the Besson Co., when his works were transferred to Besson’s premises at Stanhope Place, Marble Arch, London, when the making of banjos virtually ceased, his activities being devoted to making plectrum guitars (sold under the brand of "Aristone"). In 1936 he suffered from serious internal trouble from which he never fully recovered. He died on February 11, 1938 after a brief illness. John (“Jack") Abbott, son of the above learned the craft of instrument making in his father's workshops. When his father joined Besson & Co. in 1932, he established his own one room work-shops at various addresses in London for the making of, mostly, guitars. He did make a few banjos and even steel guitars with a pickup, which were branded "Abbott-Victor”. He gave up business in 1957. Previous Next

Barnes Brothers < Back Barnes Brothers Towards the end of the 1920’s three engineer brothers named Barnes in the Woolwich area decided to make banjos. They slavishly copied the Essex "Paragon" model and named their product "Paratone." At a superficial glance it was difficult to tell the two makes apart, it is not known when they ceased making banjos. Previous Next

Will Van Allen < Back Will Van Allen 1874 - ...whose real name was William Dodds, was a highly successful Music Hall Artiste who used the banjo in his act at the turn of the 20th century. He used the name William Allen on official records. He was conducting a successful teaching studio at 38 Newington Butts, London, where he was born, but his increasing professional engagements made it necessary for him to finally give up teaching. In 1902 he toured the U.S.A. for twelve months. It is not known when he first started to make banjos, but his first models were called "Revelation", the wood hoop of which was covered by an S-shaped metal casing with a projecting flange at the bottom through which the brackets passed. When he went into partnership with Olly Oakley in 1926 with a shop at 61, Charing Cross Road, London, the “Will Van Allen" banjos, well made modern instruments, appear to have been products of the John G. Abbott workshops. He dissolved his partnership with Olly Oakley in 1929 or 1930 and very few Van Allen banjos appeared to have been sold after this date. Pictures courtesy of Fred Previous Next

Item List Will Van Allen 1874 - Read More

Fred J Bacon < Back Fred J Bacon 1871 to 1948 .. 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. Find more information at banjoonmyknee.com Pictures courtesy of Smakula's Fretted Instruments Previous Next

Item List Bay State Read More

James C Bertolle < Back James C Bertolle 1875 -1951 .. was born in Islington, London in 1875 and his father who was a banjoist taught his son, James Charles, to play the instrument at an early age. By 1897 J C Bertolle was playing duets in public with another banjo player named Heght and a year later organised a banjo club from his pupils. By then he had become a professional photographer with studios at 268 Caledonian Road, London, but managed to give between 30 and 40 banjo lessons every week. In 1898 he formed a playing partnership with Gordan Tait, calling themselves "The Dexters," made their concert debut at a Cammeyer concert. Within a short time they had played at most of the concert halls within fifty miles of London. They were hailed as the "British Mays and Hunter." The instruments they played were "Dexter" banjos sold exclusively by Bertolle who, in his advertisements said he made them - but this is doubtful. It has been found impossible to discover who made the high grade banjos but it could have been Richard Spencer as they have all the features of the early Spencer instruments. No "Dexter" banjos appear to have been sold after about 1930. Note: Bertolle also sold the "B&T" model (Bertolle & Tait), almost certainly made by Clifford Essex staff. Note the bracket nuts inside the pot which are identical to the CE "Imperial" model of the same period .. however it does have the "Spencer" style laminated neck. Similarly the Tester Previous Next

…. arrived in the US in 1832 from Germany and started his company in New York in 1834 and as the business developed became distributors for a wide range of types of musical instruments. In 1868 after the Civil War they started using the name C. Bruno and Son and imported a lot of the instruments they distributed from Europe. Charles Bruno Jnr developed the company after his father’s death manufacturing Instruments at 356 Broadway NY where, after a long period of ill health he committed suicide on 18th April, 1912, 3 days after Titanic sank. In the June 1928 issue of "The Crescendo" a list of banjo makers at that time included the firm of C.Bruno & Son Inc of New York City who were listed as making "The Royal Artist" and "Tempo Grande" instruments. During their long history banjos were made for them by several maufacturers including the Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co. of Brooklyn, N.Y. or William Lange Images of this "Magic Wonder" courtesy of Paul Dzwill Charles Bruno .... 1884 next maker

Located in New York City, this company went into business in the 1890s. Their first store was at 161 Bowery Street, and they later relocated to 200-201 Grand Street. During the 1920s over fifty workers were employed, making banjos, banjo-ukeleles, guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, and violins. The name was changed to Favilla Guitars, Inc. in 1959, and the business was moved to 57 Front Street, where it remained until 1963 when it moved again, this time East Farmingdale, Long Island. The last instruments were built in 1973. research courtesy of David E. Schenkman and for further detailed information on this maker see here Images courtesy of Shelly Shapiro Favilla next maker

.. well-known as a teacher of the banjo in and around Ilford, designed and made a special type of plectrum-banjo in 1927. It had a zither-banjo type hoop with a 10 in. vellum, with the neck joined to the body with "shoulders." The open-type back of the hoop incorporated a sunken reflector plate about 1 in. from the base of the hoop, the wall being made of metal with round outlet holes some 2 in. Apart. Mr. Edwards' father was a wood worker of some considerable skill who had taught his son to use the tools of his trade. Jimmie Edwards had also spent some time watching the young Jack Abbott making banjos and in 1927 he designed and started to make the instruments that bore his name. Over a period of years he made between 40 and 50, but increasing professional engagements and other activities connected with the entertainment profession eventually forced him to discontinue making banjos. In 1938 he commissioned Jack Abbott to make him a special banjo to his design and Jimmie Edwards used this instrument throughout World War II to entertain the troops in ten different countries. In 1963 Mr. Edwards resumed making banjos (copying this special Abbott-made instrument) but he is kept so busy teaching that his output has been limited to two or three instruments each year. Jimmie Edwards Do you have a banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

... was born In Middlesex and moved to Birmingham, where he became a successful teacher, concert artist, recording star and broadcaster, sold many banjos, and zither-banjos bearing his name as the maker. All these instruments were made for him: at first by Windsor and then by Joseph Riley Sons . He was associated with the latter firm, as a teacher and demonstrator from about 1894 to 1898. In the first deacde of the 20th Century he was renown for playing the fashionable ragtime tunes of the period on his zither banjo. John Pidoux 1876 - 1953 Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker