Tom Briggs makes an appearance.

[Carl Anderton]

I'm starting this blog just to keep track of whenever Tom Briggs gets a Google Books mention; he being such an important yet ephemeral figure...

http://books.google.com/books?id=Q-gEAAAAMAAJ&dq=tom%20briggs&a...

Interesting (1890) tidbit on "thimble" playing here, not that I want to stir up any rancor on that subject... 

[Carl Anderton]

Now this is downright odd.  "On the 13th day of August, 1883, Mrs. Thomas F. Briggs...has deposited...'Briggs Banjo Instructor..."

http://books.google.com/books?id=W3M_AAAAMAAJ&dq=tom%20%20brigg...

Notice the 2 following entries, both about Charles C. Converse.  Very strange, I should think...

[Ian Bell]

Is this telling us that his estate (Mrs. Briggs) is still in control of rights to the book? He died a quite a while before that didn't he? 

[Carl Anderton]

I have no idea.  Most peculiar.  Briggs died in 1855.  I have never seen any reference to a wife.  His parents are mentioned in the famous eulogy, but this seems to refer to a wife.  

[Ian Bell]

The 1890 quote about the banjo teachers is pretty entertaining. I recognize that tone from hearing (some) conservatory-type musicians talking about the banjo (or accordion or harmonica) nowdays. 

I guess thimble playing would have been getting rarer at that point anyway but I suspect the author might not have allowed himself to close enough to any banjo player to notice in the first place.