Excelsior Method for the Banjo, C Notation, George Lansing.

[Joel Hooks]

Here is a pretty decent method book.  While lacking in explanation, Lansing jumps right in with alternate fingering from the very beginning.   There are also some good solos included.  Being from 1918 it goes into pick playing, but the majority of the work is dedicated to fingerstyle. 

There has been a scan of this available for a number of years, done by the Boston Public Library.  But they made the mistake of scanning in full color leaving the dark brown paper.  While it takes a slight bit more effort to adjust the settings to remove this, it results in a much more usable scan that is print ready.

As you read through it you might notice that several pieces strongly resemble pieces from the Mel Bay Bradbury method. 

https://archive.org/details/excelsior-method-for-the-banjo-c-notati...

[Jody Stecher]

I found it interesting to compare this with the A notation tutor by the same name in the tutor library here. Both are published by White and there is overlap in the music theory section. The A notation tutor by Lansing published by Gatcomb, also in the library here is quite different. I have no point to make, just noticing. 

[Joel Hooks]

Lansing published a few methods. (I expect there might be more that I don't know of.)

1885, this might be his earliest:

https://archive.org/details/MonarchBanjoMethodLansing

1889, the aforementioned Gatcomb method, this one might be the earliest method to introduce alternate fingering:

https://archive.org/details/lansings-practical-instructor-for-banjo...

1902, this is a weird one that bounces between A notation and C notation:

https://archive.org/details/witmarkprogressivemethod/mode/2up

1916, another Witmark but this time focusing on C notation, still similar to the 1902 in many ways:

https://archive.org/details/witmark-progressive-banjo-method-c-nota...

There is a 1920 tenor banjo method that is his last method book.  I don't play tenor so I have not reviewed it.