Minstrel Banjo

For enthusiasts of early banjo

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Comment by Strumelia on December 25, 2012 at 3:14pm

What exactly does the patent stamp say?

Comment by Rob Morrison on December 25, 2012 at 3:23pm

Strumelia--I tried for an hour to photograph the patent info, but I couldn't get it in focus.  It says "Patent No. 20973-89"  The "89" is underlined.  P.S. Notice the lovely thumb hole.  Even my gigantic thumb will fit in it.--Rob

Comment by Strumelia on December 25, 2012 at 3:32pm

No manufacturer's name or other words at all?

Comment by Strumelia on December 25, 2012 at 4:10pm

Rob, I did find this entry for a tambo in a museum collection- same tambourine, with the exact same patent number stamp:

http://image-projects.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/10683/15955?mode=full

That one is described as estimated date of circa 1900.

I also found this info on drum 'kits':

"If you mean the drum kit, it has been around since the early 1900s, possibly late 1800s when classical and jazz orchestras needed as many drums as possible to be played by one person, so they made the drum kit. It was originally called the trap set, because of the many "contraptions" added on to it, such as cow bells, chimes, etc."

"...As more instruments were added like goose neck cymbal stands, gongs, a triangle, woodblocks, whistles, these kits of the early 1900′s were called “trap kits” which was short for the large metal contraption that would hold all the drum components together."

I feel the jury is still out on this issue.   ;D

Comment by Joel Hooks on December 25, 2012 at 5:27pm

That no. is for a British letter patent, Dec 1889.

These were often marketed as Salvation Army tambos.  They wanted racket, not music.

This one is similar, perhaps the same?

http://www.google.com/patents/US356767?pg

Comment by Rob Morrison on December 25, 2012 at 5:30pm

IStrumelia--  US Patent number is indeed from 1858, but it turns out to be for an improvement in the cotton gin.  The patent number on our banjo is a British patent issued in February of 1890.  So it's still 19th century, but late minstrelcy.  It's fun to see another one around.  Thanks, Rob.

Comment by Rob Morrison on December 25, 2012 at 5:36pm

Joel--You beat me to it.  That drawing is a bit different, but you know, once you've seen one tambourine, you've seen them all.  And yes, Ian it does look like Pentacostal damage.--Rob

Comment by Al Smitley on December 26, 2012 at 9:24am

When I first saw this photo (small image), it looked like a pumpkin pie!  Must be the "visions of sugar-plums" effect.

Comment by Rob Morrison on December 26, 2012 at 11:01am

Al--You got us!  Last year my wife baked me a cake in the shape of a banjo.  This year she did the tambourine pie.--Rob

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