It was wonderful to see everyone at the IBMA. News We are pleased to announce a brand new banjo, the Afton Star, now available. Check it out Gibson Banjo Serial Numbers vs. Factory Order Numbers For the most part, prewar Gibson banjos have factory order numbers rather than true serial numbers. Identifying SS Stewart Banjos. Identifying S. S. Stewart Banjos. Copyright 1. Michael I. Holmes. All rights reserved, not for reproduction. Click on the underlined text to see various Stewart images. Samuel S. Stewart first made banjos in 1. IMG_0049-1.jpg' alt='Banjo Serial Numbers Gibson' title='Banjo Serial Numbers Gibson' />His adoption of the silver wrapped rim for which, in a speech and later in a self publsihed booklet titled The Banjo Philosophically he credited the devlopment to two Troy, NY banjo makers, William Farham and Albert Wilson set him apart in the early years before such rims became most common. He developed the short necked banjeaurine with a 1. Over the years he used several different name stamps to identify his instruments. In 1. 88. 8 he began using his peg head shaped trademark. In 1. 89. 3 he contracted with Sears to produce Acme banjos. The patented heavy metal neck fastener was introduced in 1. In 1. 89. 4 or 1. Graphics Drivers Update Bluestacks. Thoroughbred banjos which was probably in use for at least 1. In January 1. 89. Stewart joined with George Bauer, who had been in business himself manufacturing guitars and mandolins from circa 1. Stewarts Common Sense tailpiece was delivered both with and without the ivory Rosette. Higher grade instruments had the rosette, lower grade and later instruments did not. In the photo, note that the metal parts are slightly different, with one being a little larger and the points somewhat elongated. The head tightening wrench with the SSS logo is another interesting piece of Stewart ephemera. Circa 1. 88. 9, better grade banjos marked with serial numbers in the 5. Instead of grained ivoroid these are metal, and shaped with fancier ends than the others, which were square. Only about a dozen of these have been seen on otherwise stock SS Stewart banjos. Click for pictures. In addition to the banjeaurine, other unusual banjos that Stewart offered were a 5 string bass or cello banjo, a 6 string banjo which had 5 long strings and a short drone, and a piccolo banjo, all intended for use in banjo ensembles and a novelty instrument called a banjorett, which had a very small rim and a regular neck. He even published a chart comparing the tunings of the various popular instruments of the day. Among the many model variations made were the Lady Stewart with a 9 rim and 1. American Princess with a 1. Orchestra Banjo offered with a 1. Specialty Banjo with a 1. D and the Pony Banjo with an 8 inch head and 1. All Stewarts banjos could be ordered in a variety of inlay patterns which ranged from simple dots to highly elaborate works of art. Stewart also offered heel designs that ranged from plain to floral designs Presentation Banjos were offered with human or animal carvings. The Universal Favorite, a mid priced model, had an 1. See below for an example of post S. S. Stewart Universal Favorite markings models. The Student, Amateur, and the 2nd Grade were all aimed at the entry level player. Click for pictures. As the 1. 9th Century drew to a close, many manufacturers used that fact to promote instruments that were noted more for their hype than value. S. S. Stewart, never one to miss a promotional oportunity, offered his 2. Century model beginning circa 1. At 3. 0 it was only 1. Thoroughbred, but was considerably plainer, if still well made. Generally, the peghead was inlaid with a fluer de lis, and if there was any carving on the heel, it was lightly incised swirls, not the heavy floral or figural carving of earlier, higher grade models. Century models continued to be manufactured for a short while, even after Stewarts death. Click for pictures inside Stewarts factory. There were probably around 2. S. S. Stewart banjos manufactured with serial numbers from around 1. Serial numbers 1,0. Those numbered above 5. Stewarts death, later that year. All 4. S banjos date from after 1. You must extrapolate any numbers in between those printed here an approximation is the best we can do, anyway. No manufacturing records exist, but sometimes banjos are found with original sales slips, and some correspondence has been seen in which the serial number of a particular instrument is listed, allowing for a reasonable estimate of the date of manufacture. Receipt of instruments was frequently acknowledged in Stewarts Journal and sometimes the serial number is mentioned there. Click for pictures. Stewart died in April 1. He had joined with Bauer due to serious health issues, to protect his then young children and the company. Bauer joined with Stewarts sons until 1. Acme contract. After they split, Bauer produced the S. S. Stewart banjo until at least 1. The Monogram model is a student grade instrument that post dates the Stewart Bauer partnership. Most of them have the S B logo, but some just had the name Stewart. It is a turn of the century instrument, but Stewart almost assuredly had nothing to do with its manufacture. The quality is not up to his standards, and probably, it is entirely a Bauer creation. The sons produced the 4. S banjo in New York until about 1. The banjo pictured above is a high grade Rettberg Lange product, made under contract to the sons, in the period after R L acquired the Buckbee operation and before they introduced their own Orpheum line. Other banjos, with distinctly S. S. Stewart characteristics turn up from time to time. One, marked Weymann, has a Stewart like peghead shape, heel carving, internal rim marquetry, neck attachment hardware, and nuts. Other banjos, marked simply New York, appear with similar refinements. One theory suggests that Weymann purchased much of the remaining SSS stock. Another is that some of Stewarts workers moved to other companies in Philadelphia and New York City after his death. Both scenarios are possible. Given the 4. S connection, a move to NYC by at least some seems likely. The decal above is found on lesser, student and amateur grade banjos, made after Stewarts death. Later, after Bauer, the S. S. Stewart name went through many hands. The Keenophone Company, a Philadelphia, PA manufacturer of talking machines and phonographs, acquired the Bauer Company in 1. S. S. Stewart musical instruments. In 1. 91. 5 Keenophone sold the Stewart name to Buegeleisen Jacobson B J, a New York City distributor. The B J instruments were probably made by Slingerland and have stamped markings like the following. Click for pictures. Other styles of banjo were sold bearing the S. S. Stewart name. The Wm. Lange Company produced a line of heavy, resonated instruments. In the 1. 93. 0s, The Gibson Company made some banjos marked S. S. Stewart which were Gibsons Style 1. S. S. Stewart stencilled on the peghead. Another, unknown, maker used this gold colored decal. Some ukuleles marked Stewart were actually made by Martin but sold by someone else, probably B J. One of Turturros Peanut Ukes has been seen with an SS Stewart, New York plaque. Still later, the Stewart name had other owners and some very cheap, plywood, arch top guitars were made by Harmony in the 3. TIMELINE1. 87. 8First made banjos. Banjos numbered 1. Banjeaurine introduced. Banjos numbered between 1. Patented heavy neck brace introduced. Peghead shaped trademark introduced. Banjos numbered between 4. Banjos numbered between 5. Sears contract, Acme banjo line introduced. Banjos numbered between 1. Adjustable neck brace. Banjos numbered between 1. Thoroughbred trademark registered probably in use for 1. Century Model introduced. Partnership with George Bauer. Stewart died. 1. 89. Unexplained gap between 2.