Vintage Banjolele ID, Please

Marna · Feb 22, 2015

Sadly, no markings to ID this cute thing. I'm going to restore it and would like to know the history if possible. Any Ideas? I've gotten a few from FB, but nothing that matches.

Camsuke · Feb 22, 2015

Sorry, I can't help with the identification but I can say it's a beautiful little instrument and appears to have been really well loved and played. Good luck with the restoration!

river_driver · Feb 23, 2015

I would email Jake Wildwood at Antebellum Instruments (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/). Jake is extremely knowledgeable about these things. This 'jo has a lot of distinctive details, I bet he can give you an answer in a heartbeat.

Marna · Feb 28, 2015

Thanks for the suggestion. I had discovered that site and was working through banjolele images. But a direct Email is probably better!

wayfarer75 · Feb 28, 2015

What a nice find! I have no information about the uke, just wanted to say I like its looks.

Marna · Feb 28, 2015

Thanks. It's pretty adorable, right? Thrift store find. So cool that's it's obviously been played a bunch.

Marna · Mar 3, 2015

Thanks for the suggestion. Jake got back to me and pointed me to Sherman, Clay & Company as the seller. I found some more information on them, including a picture of my instrument that showed up in their 1922-23 catalog. Turns out they had an agreement to distribute some of the mass produced Jonah Kumalae ukes. Since his work is full of that herringbone inlay pattern, I'm fairly confident this was one of his. So. Mystery Solved!!!

Vintage Banjolele ID, Please

Marna

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