Weaver Banjo serial number?

[Jem Bowkett]

My Weaver has the number 1671 stamped on the back of the head.  I've seen pictures of several Weavers but none with a number.  I know it was refurbished in the 1960s at Clifford Essex but Clem tells me they would not have numbered it.  Anyone have a Weaver with a number stamped?

[marc dalmasso]

Hi Jem ; i have several banjos with these numbers at the same place , always made by the same stamp ; i think they are CE refurbish numbers  from the 20th & 30 ths

[Jem Bowkett]

Hi Marc,  I think you are right.  I had an email exchange with Clem at CE (who has been there for years) in which he said they didn't do that except on the ones made by Turner after Weaver's retirement, but he also said he'd not seen a Weaver with A.WEAVER MAKER stamp, when everyone else says that is the standard marking.  My instrument came from CE in the 1960s as recently refurbished with a new fretboard.

I only started this because I was curious to put a date on the instrument, seems it could be anywhere from 1900 on.

regards

Jem

marc dalmasso said:

Hi Jem ; i have several banjos with these numbers at the same place , always made by the same stamp ; i think they are CE refurbish numbers  from the 20th & 30 ths

[Richard William Ineson]

I don't know what the number on your Weaver banjo means, I've had a few Weaver banjos with the year of manufacture stamped on them, usually on the perch pole/dowel stick, but occasionally on the top of the peghead - the Joe Morley Weaver sold on Banjo hangout some time ago was so marked. Dating Weaver banjos is difficult as he used more or less the same design over many years. There are differences in the shape of the heel and peghead and also in the metal ware. Weaver didn't make banjos for anyone else after 1906, so all the Weaver banjos made for Essex and others predate this. If you put a few more pictures of the banjo up we'll be able to tell you if it's early or late but that's about it really.

[marc dalmasso]

Jem , you cannot be in confidence with him  ; i used to buy an Abbott banjo 2 years ago that he sold on eBay ; he advertised " a good straight neck " , and the neck was bowed in the unusual way ;  and he is a banjo ' player .................... ; shame

[Jem Bowkett]

Photos, be interested in your opinion, Jem

Richard William Ineson said:

I don't know what the number on your Weaver banjo means, I've had a few Weaver banjos with the year of manufacture stamped on them, usually on the perch pole/dowel stick, but occasionally on the top of the peghead - the Joe Morley Weaver sold on Banjo hangout some time ago was so marked. Dating Weaver banjos is difficult as he used more or less the same design over many years. There are differences in the shape of the heel and peghead and also in the metal ware. Weaver didn't make banjos for anyone else after 1906, so all the Weaver banjos made for Essex and others predate this. If you put a few more pictures of the banjo up we'll be able to tell you if it's early or late but that's about it really.

[John Cohen]

Clem is incorrect- Clifford Essex did number repairs and restorations on the back of the peghead in the 1950s, and that’s what the number on yours is.

[Jem Bowkett]

Yes I am sure you are right. I only started on this since I was curious to date the instrument, obviously this number won't help.  Thanks

John Cohen said:

Clem is incorrect- Clifford Essex did number repairs and restorations on the back of the peghead in the 1950s, and that’s what the number on yours is.

[thereallyniceman]

Hi Jem,

Have you checked out this website as it may give a few clues regarding the age of your Weaver?

  CLICK:        Weaver Banjos

The heel shape, Weaver logos, nuts in side the hoop and tension hooks and nuts may give you a better idea!

Good luck.

[marc dalmasso]

looking from the nuts , your banjo seems  to be  pre 1900

[3iv8pyyhxxoiv]

John.....You may well be correct, but I'd be interested in the evidence you have to show that the CE Co. numbered repairs and restorations in the 1950's.  I bought my CE Special XX in the CE Earlham St. shop in Sept. 1961.  It had been refretted and refurbished prior to the sale to me. It would be a fair assumption that this work was done in 1961.  The number stamped on the rear of the peghead is 1763, but this number doesn't appear to be the same font as 1671 stamped on the Weaver in the photo above.

I'll attempt to contact a repair-person I used to know who apprenticed in the CE Workshop in the early 1960's under Marco Roccia.  If I can locate him, he may have details of any repair-numbering system that might have been used.

John Cohen said:

Clem is incorrect- Clifford Essex did number repairs and restorations on the back of the peghead in the 1950s, and that’s what the number on yours is.

[marc dalmasso]

i think these numbers are not repairs / restoration ' numbers but refurbish ' numbers and are not from the 50ths   but from the 20ths or 30ths .

because these years were more " banjoïstics "  ; and , when reading the BMG  magazine , many reburbished ' banjos (  new vellum & strings , accessories  or small repair ) were advertised in the "small advertisments " by the CE Co , which  juste used to sell the new CE models to the banjo players of the period

[Jem Bowkett]

John Field bought his instrument in 1961 from Earlham St marked 1763.  Mine came from there later (circa 1965 - I have the receipt somewhere) with a lower number 1671 but it had just been refurbished.  I wonder if CE have an archive of documents going back that far.

marc dalmasso said:

i think these numbers are not repairs / restoration ' numbers but refurbish ' numbers and are not from the 50ths   but from the 20ths or 30ths .

because these years were more " banjoïstics "  ; and , when reading the BMG  magazine , many reburbished ' banjos (  new vellum & strings , accessories  or small repair ) were advertised in the "small advertisments " by the CE Co , which  juste used to sell the new CE models to the banjo players of the period