Classic-Banjo
A Site Dedicated to all enthusiasts of Classic Style Banjo
An anachronism?
I received a photo in an email message from site member Leslie Evers today. I don't think I've seen it before. What's interesting to me is the bridge. It seems to have 3 feet. The photo seems to be from the late 19th century. I can't recall having seen 3 footed zither-banio bridges before. Maybe Joel or Dave Wade as an idea about this (?)
Note that the photographer (or someone) is named "G Stringer". I'm not sure what to make of that.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Trapdoor2 on
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Mr. Stringer is "M.R.P.S", which according to my google search of The British Journal of Photography, is a bit of a fraud. The Royal Photography Society allowed members to use "F.R.P.S." (Fellow Royal Photography Society) but evidently some people used "M" to designate themselves as "Members"...and the Journal itself often used the MRPS appellation. Go figure.
I would think that a 3-footed bridge would be a common thing, regardless of period. Bridges are so easy to make in a wide variety of designs. I can't say that I've ever seen one on a period picture of a ZB but it certainly doesn't make me think this lady was a time-traveler.
Studio prop banjo, probably. I find it interesting that people of the period wanted to pose with banjos. I mean, I'd be more likely to go for the brace of pistols or a large knife in my teeth or the lovely assistant in my lap...or all three!
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Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on
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Yes, she's certainly holding the banjo awkwardly. It's a foreign object to her. Since the banjo in late 19th century England was associated with the upper class (if you had time to learn to play one you didn't need to work to live), maybe the studio provided the prop banjo to its upwardly mobile clients. A real banjo player would think that upwardly mobile meant moving above the 12th fret.
G Stringer and banjos sound related but it's probably a coincidence.
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Permalink Reply by marc dalmasso on
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what about N.R.P.S ......
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N for "non-member"?
marc dalmasso said:what about N.R.P.S ......
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Maybe he plays banjo, maybe not, ……but…..*I* played banjo on a bunch of gigs with NRPS member David Nelson the year before last. Back in the early 60s we "were in different bands together", each with Jerry Garcia as banjoist. He was in the Black Mountain Boys and I was in The Asphalt Jungle Mountain Boys. In 2014 we combined some surviving members of both bands with some younger players (in their 40s) and played bluegrass gigs for Deadhead audiences. We called ourselves the Black Mountain Jungle Boys but the venues where we played usually got the name wrong. Black Asphalt Mountain Boys/ Black Jungle Mountain Asphalt Boys, etc. The promo photos were very funny, especially after they were made psychedelic. The original photo was out out of focus… or maybe not… these guys actually look like that sometimes. Here are four versions of the same photo.
marc dalmasso said:
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Waou ; beautiful picture , Jody ; i had no doubt that , in the Californian ' bluegrass / country rock scene , evrybody knew everybody .................... same thing in France
Of course , i was talking of the late PSG 'player , Buddy Cage ;
about Jerry Garcia , i always loved his banjo playing on " old & in the way " , but , strangely , i never tried to study his fantastic playing ; i guess there is too many good musicians and too short days ..........................
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Here's one more
marc dalmasso said:Waou ; beautiful picture , Jody ;
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Permalink Reply by Richard William Ineson on
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I'm in Reading this weekend so I'll go and see if Mr. Stringer is still in business.
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Let us know if he looks like this:
Richard William Ineson said:I'm in Reading this weekend so I'll go and see if Mr. Stringer is still in business.
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Richard William Ineson said: Unfortunately, Mr.Stringer and his photographic studio, are long gone, this is a photograph of me stood outside what would have been his premises had they not been replaced by this carbuncle of a building. The UK suffered from a building blight in the 1960s when many fine buildings were destroyed and replaced by the most brutal of brutalist rubbish. The Town Councils of the UK did far more damage to our country than the Luftwaffe ever managed.
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