vintagebanjo.redbubble.com We've got banjo-themed t-shirts and sweatshirts, stickers and magnets, notebooks, cushions, phone cases, water bottles and cups, bags, backpacks and hats, and an apron. What more could you want? All purchases will support the running costs and research efforts of VBM, and you'll have a lovely banjo gift for someone else or yourself! Come on over and take a look at vintagebanjo.redbubble.com and look out for regular special offers and discounts. Everything is printed and posted in a country near you, so worldwide delivery is available.

Apologies for being away and thanks to our resident designer Ginny for putting the site back together. Our website host was taken over, then subbed out to someone else. Needless to say it has taken ages to find where it ended up and get it back online. In honey news... while we have been away we have been working on a massive project in Africa called ApiTrace. The whole of Africa contributes just 0.15% of the worlds honey exports as 98% is produced domestically, mostly by women and girls, and we are bringing the market for their honey to the rural community. Drop us an email if you want to receive regular updates, or visit www.bee.watch, www.theafricapicultureconsortium.org www.beespace.xyz. The project meets 14 of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. "bzzzz... VBM website is around here somewhere..." Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

We get all sorts of feedback from people, mostly friendly and Michael Wright, rightly wanted to put right the middle S in S S Stewart. The name Swaim first appears among the early Vikings who arrived and settled in Scotland in the medieval era. It’s derived from the Old English personal name Swein, originating from the Old Norse name Sveinn. Stewart is of Scottish origin from the old English word stigeweardmeaning “hall” “warden” and hence latterly the word steward. Michael also sent us a picture of the SS Stewart factory in Philly taken in 2011, Stewart's buildings being those with the grey-painted facade. This is just off N. 2nd Street in Old City. You could travel London looking for the premises of old makers like Dallas, Essex, Weaver, Scarth or Temlett but the blitz destroyed so much of these historic buildings and their makers records.

Item List E L Bailey ​ Read More

Item List Fred J Bacon 1871 to 1948 Read More

< Back Thomas William Bacon 1841 to 1918 ... was born in Bethnal Green where he married a local girl. By 1871 he was living at 15 Saville Place, Lambeth, Surrey and was recorded as a musician with three children. Ten years laster he had moved to Endell Street where he was clearly had a good business, making good quality well finished instruments, as he had seven children and employed a servant. During most of his life he preferred to be known by his middle name William. Earlier banjos have the address as 26 ENDELL St LONDON W.C. and later banjos omit the W.C. Early models included a gut strung 6 string fretless with five friction pegs in the head and a 5th string peg. Later models included a slotted peg head with tunnelled 5th string and with the end of the perchpole fed through the pot where the tailpiece was attached to it. Hi later models can be rocognised by his signature mother or pearl inlay which was a large dot surrounded by 4 small dots .. see peghead and 14th fret marker Previous Next