This information was on the inside of the case. It lists the manufacturer of the banjo mandolin as John Grey & Sons, from London. 'Dulcetta Banjo Mandolines' must be a sort of brand for the company. Between the machine heads on the instrument itself is also a serial number '7349'. I'm sure this number must help to date the manufacture.
There is a surprising amount of background on the John Grey & Sons company on the internet. The website for Arizona music label White Tree Productions has a vintage section with background on American & British banjo producers, as well as a handy serial number list with dates.
John Grey & Sons Ltd was a subsidiary company of Barnett Samuel & Sons created to make and market banjos, guitars and drums. Their factories had been producing banjos since the very first years of the twentieth century, but it wasn't until 1911 that this subsidiary company had been created and the name used as a trademark on the instruments. Prior to 1911 the instruments displayed 'Grey & Sons Ltd'. In the post-war decades the company changed hands several times. But it is hard to use this information for dating purposes, as it was not until 1967 that the trademark on the actual instruments changed.
So I believe the banjo mandolin is a pre-war model, but as yet I have nothing to back it up...
There is a surprising amount of background on the John Grey & Sons company on the internet. The website for Arizona music label White Tree Productions has a vintage section with background on American & British banjo producers, as well as a handy serial number list with dates.
John Grey & Sons Ltd was a subsidiary company of Barnett Samuel & Sons created to make and market banjos, guitars and drums. Their factories had been producing banjos since the very first years of the twentieth century, but it wasn't until 1911 that this subsidiary company had been created and the name used as a trademark on the instruments. Prior to 1911 the instruments displayed 'Grey & Sons Ltd'. In the post-war decades the company changed hands several times. But it is hard to use this information for dating purposes, as it was not until 1967 that the trademark on the actual instruments changed.
So I believe the banjo mandolin is a pre-war model, but as yet I have nothing to back it up...
1 comment:
My Dad has the same exact banjo mandolin from one of our old relatives a long time ago. Ours is number 5403, has the same label in the case, and I think it's seen a war in its lifetime... It certainly smells old enough to have been!
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