Welcome to
This website is dedicated to photos and descriptions of the many banjos in my collection, along with a few other vintage instruments I have picked up over the years. I have authored this site in the hope that other collectors might follow suit and share photos and information on their banjos with others in the collecting community. Since my interest in banjos stems in part from my interest in the technological development of the instrument over the years, my collection spans the period from the 1840’s to the 1920’s. As my collection evolves, banjos presented on the home page of this site may be removed and added to a 'banjos I previously owned' page. Banjos in my current collection are listed alphabetically by manufacturer or brand name. I have recently added a page on Fairbanks/Vega engraved inlay evolution for those interested in how this particular art form developed over the years and through the transition from Fairbanks to Vega ownership. For those interested in the genealogy of banjo manufacturers, I have included a page summarizing some important relationships between manufacturers, but much better information is available elsewhere (see, for example, America's Instrument, The Banjo in the Nineteenth Century, by Gura anad Bollman, University of North Carolina Press, 1999). For those interested in finding out more about buying vintage banjos and other vintage stringed instruments, I have included a page on that as well. I have also included a page on identifying unmarked banjos, for those who have an instrument of unknown origin. For those wondering where I put all of these instruments, I have added a page on living with vintage instruments. This should be particularly helpful to those collectors trying to convince dubious spouses that they don't already have too many banjos. Finally, I have added a page dealing with maintaining and restoring vintage banjos and other vintage stringed instruments. Also, click here for an example of how one can go too far to restore a banjo. For questions and comments, please contact me (Bill Destler) at bill.destler'at'rit.edu.(substitute @ for 'at').
Banjos
Bacon
Bacon 'Professional FF Special' 5-string banjo, Circa 1913
Boucher
Historical research: vintage instrument identification and dating. These catalogs are not offered here for sale or re‐sale – They are only for the academic purpose of instrument identification, research and historical context. Please respect their use and do not reproduce. Many banjo manufacturers, in addition to making banjos under their own names, made unmarked banjos for others to sell as well. In some cases, teachers would purchase these instruments and put their own names on them, but in many other cases they carry no identifying name at all. Find the worth of your vintage banjo from 1920s to 1970s. Research our price guide with auction results on 35 items from $81 to $2,928. In 1926 Gibson introduced the L-series guitars with the L-0 at $35 and the L-1 at $50 (1928 prices). The L-series is very difficult to properly identify and date as they were inconsistent in their appointments and the catalog descriptions do not always agree with the actual instruments produced.
Buchanan
Buckbee
Burkard
Cole
W. A. Cole “Eclipse” 5-string banjo model 5000, S/N 3600, Circa 1897
W. A. Cole “Eclipse” 5-string banjo, model 3000, S/N 3670, Circa 1897
W. A. Cole “Eclipse” 5-string banjo model 4000, S/N 3959, Circa 1897
Cubley
G. H. Daniels
C. E. Dobson
G. C. Dobson
H. C. Dobson
Eibel(click here for new information on Eibel banjos!)
Fairbanks & Cole
Fairbanks
A. C. Fairbanks “Senator No. 1” 5-string banjo, S/N 21028, Circa 1901
A.C. Fairbanks “Whyte Laydie” No. 7, 5-string banjo, S/N 22616, Circa 1903
Fairbanks (by Vega)
Farland
Farris
J. Farris “E&F Tenor Banjay”, Amateur Grade 2-1/2, Circa 1880’s
Gatcomb
Haynes
John C. Haynes 'Bay State' 5-string banjo, model 323, Circa 1890
John C. Haynes “Bay State” 5-string banjo model 354, Circa 1890
Lyon & Healy (including Washburn banjos)
'George Washburn' 5-string banjo, model 421 custom, Circa 1892
'George Washburn' 5-string banjo, model 442, S/N 328, Circa 1892
Magez
Morrison
Quinlan
Rettberg & Lange (including Orpheum banjos)
'Orpheum #3', 5 string banjo, S/N 9079, Circa 1915
'Orpheum #3 Special', 5-string banjo, S/N 13406, Circa 1919
Vintage Banjo Identification
Robinson
Rudolph
J. B. Schall
J.B. Schall (Denzel) “Peerless” 5-string banjo Circa 1895
S. S. Stewart
S.S. Stewart “Thoroughbred” 5-string banjo, S/N 6096, Circa 1890
S.S. Stewart “Little Wonder” piccolo banjo, S/N 6265, Circa 1890
Stratton & Handley
Stetson
Talmadge
Teel
Teed
Thompson & Odell (including Luscomb banjos)
Todd
Turner
Weymann
Weymann 5-string banjo Circa 1900’s
Wilkes
Windsor
Unmarked, Minstrel, and Folk-Art Banjos
Other Vintage Instruments
Guitars
C. F. Martin guitar, 0-42, S/N 12929, Circa 1916
Mandolins
Miscellaneous
Vintage Banjo Identification Chart
Lachenal English concertina, SN 43576, Circa 1890