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.. the Liverpool firm of musical instrument manufactures and dealers established in 1828 and they introduced a line of zither-banjos in 1910 using the brand name of "Apollo." The instruments were not made by them but were constructed to their specifications (probably by Windsor or Matthew of Birmingham In the early 1920s, the dance band boom induced them to launch their “Ardetone"(R-D-tone) plectrum-banjos and tenor-banjos which were styled on the American "Paramount" instruments. (probably made for them by Dallas /Jedson ) With only slight modifications these later banjos are very ( very ) good copies of the instruments from N America with superior hardware. Edwin Rushworth born in Manchester in 1837 Pictures of an Ardetone Supreme courtesy of Steve Prior Rushworth & Dreaper Ltd next maker

Included in a list of banjo manufacturers in the June 1928 issue of “The Crescendo” is the Progressive Musical Instrument Corporation of New York City. They were shown as the makers of the “Perfecktone” and “Gordon” banjos but nothing else is known about the company. Progressive Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

In the late 1950’s we learn of Art Gariepy of 46 East Market Street, Long Beach, California, USA, making high end banjos with ornate carved heels and peg heads and high decorated resonators. Trading as Gariepy Banjos, in 1962, he announced that he had taken over “the manufacture of van Eps classical flush fret banjos” but within three years he sold out to the Fender Co. and started to produce banjos for them. Images courtesy of Carl Schilt Art Gariepy next maker

The Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co. was formed by Friederich Gretch (who Anglicised his name after settling in America) at the age of 27 when he left his job of working for the drum and banjo makers Albert Houdlett & Son of Brooklyn, NY. With a few workmen he opened small shop at 128 Middleton Street Brooklyn and manufactured drums, banjos and tambourines. Fred senior died in 1885 when his firm had but a dozen employees and was housed in a wooden building in S. 4th Street, Brooklyn. Within five years his son Fred (eldest of seven children) had impressively altered the firms operations to include the making of mandolins, and in addition, the importation of most musical instruments and their various accessories. The also had acquired impressive factory premises at 104 Middle Street, which were vacated in 1916 for the mammoth 10 story office and factory building the firm had specially built for them at 60 Broadway, Brooklyn, which is still the home of the Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co. They had been making and advertising banjos from about 1870 and in 1902 introduced “Daynor” banjos each of which had a hole in the vellum. After WWI they made a range of banjos with the trade name “Rex” and these were being advertised well in to the 1920’s. By 1928 their range of banjos had been extended for the company was advertising their “Gretsch”, “Claraphone” and “Orchestrella” models in addition to the popular “Rex” range. In addition to this they were making banjos for many other brand names, notably Wurlitzer and Bruno . In March 1940 the company acquired the Bacon Banjo Co . of Groton. Conn. and the post war range of “B&D” banjos was made by them. During the the 50s and 60s they made the Belmont model in regular and long neck versions . Images courtesy of Teddy Lee Wolf 1926 Orchestrella images courtesy of Vinnie Mondello 1929 Orchestrella images courtesy of Bob Ervin Fred Gretsch to 1885 next maker

In 1856 Oliver Ditson employed Haynes to lead the formers move into musical instrument manufacture by setting up the the John C Haynes Company to make a range of fretted instruments. Ditson died in 1888, Haynes took over the business and by 1892 he was advertising "The Lewis Banjo" as "endorsed by the best players". By1895 guitars and mandolins made by Haynes new venture "The Bay State Company" were being sold by the F J Martin Company of Kansas City, and by 1897, it was stated in an American magasine, the products of this company had received "27 awards at the principle Expositions" and that in June of that year the company had "taken on several new hands" to comply with the demands for their well-known instruments. The name of "Bay State" was used by John C Haynes & Co of 453-464 Washington Street and 33 Count Street, Boston, Mass. and the first advertisements for Bay State banjos appears in 1903; the instruments being sold by firms in Boston, New York & Philadelphia. John C Haynes next maker

C E Leslie (Charles Eddy) (1845 - 1893) established The CE Leslie Music Company of 225 Dearbourn Street, Chicago with his wife. They started the Chicago Music Company who were “ publishers and dealers in Musical Merchandise” based at 150 Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Illinois as a retail outlet for their publishing company. He was noted as the manager of the book department in 1887 and they subsequently they moved to Nos. 195-197 and by 1893 had moved again to No. 260 Wabash Ave.. It is assumed that he was the owner but his wife also worked in the business from its early days, had her own copyrights and published music books and scores which specialised in singing instruction. The busines appears to have continued for a year after his death Images courtesy of Dennis Rowntree Chicago Music Company 1880 - 1894 next maker

... was born in Accrington, Lancashire and became a music teacher and retailer of banjos. At 18 years of age Will Birch became Emile Grinshaw's (who was aged12 years at the time) banjo teacher. Little else is known about this maker/retailer except the details on a high end zither banjo, Will Birch, Accrington, Importer . However this very same banjo was also available branded "Barnes & Mullins No 1 Perfect " , probably made by either Windsor or Dallas . John "Will" Birch 1874 to... next maker

Albert Wilson Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker a banjo maker of Troy, New York, was called by S S Stewart “an eccentric genius” who was “much liked by players of his day”. About the year 1850 he constructed a banjo which had a solid iron hoop and thirty iron brackets fitted with elaborate thumb screws for tightening the vellum. It proved too heavy for practical use apart from it being crudely made. The neck was merely bolted to the hoop and the instrument could not be relied upon to keep in tune. About twenty years later he made a much lighter banjo which known as the “Sliver Rim” banjo and established a pattern for the majority of banjo makers. This instrument had a wooden hoop veneered with thin German silver (white brass) which was rolled over the top and bottom edges of the hoop. Wilson became adept at the use of German silver, making ingenious articles using it, which he sold. Although his eccentricity caused him to fashion banjos in many odd designs by way of experiment, he finally adhered to the legitimate instrument and was deemed to be the best banjo maker of his time. Many of his instruments for professionals were profusely inlaid with mother of pearl, silver and fancy woods. His successor, William H Farnham , continued to make the Wilson banjo up until the 1890s without any appreciable modifications.

Van Eps next maker ... see under Eps .

Roger J Ward .. 1819 to 1872 next maker Around 1840 Roger John Ward arrived in Liverpool from Dublin as a Musical Instrument Maker. Within 10 years he was married with 4 children living at 64 Albert Street, Everton. He opened a musical instrument shop in Liverpool in which he sold brass band instruments fashioned by hand. In 1870 his son Richard Joseph Ward ( b 1854 ) had aqquired the business and, with his sons, had established a flourishing shop and factory at 10 and 12 St Anne Street Liverpool. By 1905 the firm, although still advertising itself as 'Military Band Instrument Manufacturers' had added banjos and mandolins to the instruments they made and sold. Their smooth-arm banjos had ornately engraved nickel silver encased hoops, with the neck and perchpoles made of solid ebony, (rosewood) highly polished. The fingerboards were made of richly engraved nickel sliver. Some of the banjos were made with hoops as large as 16” and all were fitted with pegs of the push in type made of ivory. It is possible the banjos made by R.J.Ward and sons of Liverpool were made individually by a lone workman for your author has seen an instrument marked made for B.Chamberlain by R.J. Ward & sons Liverpool' . The example shown in the pictures is being restored but clearly the company, at some time, also opperated out of 67 Dale Street, Liverpool (as did George Jordan) Edward J Ward also ran a music business out of St Anne Street and he died in 1920. The firm closed down about 1931 but is believed they ceased making banjos some years before this date. hand note -surely 'made by B Chamberlain for R.J.Ward?

... see Joseph Riley Pictures courtesy of Skip Sail Riley - Baker next maker

… was born in Virginia and was an early minstrel entertainer who learned to play the banjo from local plantation workers. He is widely credited with the development of the format of the five string banjo, based on a drum rather than a gourd and including the 5th string, although earlier documentation shows that these features were already in existence. However he can be credited with being the first to promote and popularise this format amongst white Americans and Europeans and having started playing public in the early 1830s he even toured Great Britain in 1843 with Frank Brower of the Virginia Minstrels who was a bones player and in 1847 he published “Sweeney's Virginia Melodies”. Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? Joel Walker Sweeney 1810 to 1860 next maker