New Member with a Manbys Banjo Mandolin

[Timbo68]

Well I have been scouring the net for info on Manbys banjo mandolins. I have worked out that they are very similar to Boomerang and some other brands.

But no-one seems to have much info on them. If Charles Manby was smart enough to patent design changes in violins, is it not possible that he may designed the bajo mandolin that become Boomerang brand in England? It makes sense to me, that an Australian icon the "Boomerang" may have been place on instruments to sold over sees. It also makes sense that Manby would have contacts back in his homeland.

My Banjo Mandolin is 2x4string, has Manbys on head stock and under that is a 4 digit number. This has to be Manbys serial number.

No I haven't had it opened and only put new strings on it 2 year ago.

[allenhopkins]

Directories seem to indicate that Manby imported European-made instruments. His "hollow-stopped fingerboard" for violins, which he patented, had the effect of creating color-coded "frets" on violins, for student use, if a recent Australian eBay listing (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/manby-new-style-violin-full-size-with-hollow-stopped-fingerboard-dated-1915-/291090237942?nma=true&si=T5TBmH5gAhome0AlmUcWRXu1xWA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557) of a Manby violin is a typical example.

I did some research in an earlier thread, (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?88023-Banjo-mandolin) and reached the conclusion that "Boomerang" was a label placed on a variety of non-Australian imported instruments -- everything from British mandolin banjos to German harmonicas -- by Albert Music in Australia.

Quite probably your Manby instrument was made in the UK. A pic would help in its identification. Someone on the Cafe´suggested that a Boomerang mandolin banjo was made by the British maker Windsor, but that's not a firm ID. Who made your Manby, couldn't tell without seeing it, and maybe not even then. Probably wasn't made by Mr. Manby, whose various biographical notes list him primarily as an instrument importer, and author of a theoretical book on music.

[Timbo68]

I will post photo over weekend.

I find it strange that an instrument would have Manby'sdone in true cursive writing engraved on head stock with a 4 digit number also engraved.

My research points to Manby violins.

Next why are these so called Pommy banjo mandolins apparently worth so little in Australia, but worth more in America?

I noticed a member here had done a "restoration" on his "English" banjo mandolin, which was almost exactly same as mine. He mentioned that his tuners were missing bushes? No one corrected him, saying that these did not have bushes, the tuners were fitted straight through the head stock.

I am only new here and mean no malice, as I do understand forums are a place to share info. But I do not just follow what people believe without evidence, in any subject.

My banjo mandolin has been French polished, before surviving a fire in a bedroom, that only managed to damage the French polish finish. Two year ago a young man restrung it for me.

And was it sounds fine to him and I, he by the way plays electric guitar very well and repairs them.

The original case was also slightly damage by heat, but suffered more from the water putting the fire out. Hence the case was not able to be saved.

Is there any "experts" in the English & Australian pre 1930 banjo mandolins who can quote on facts not just beliefs?

[allenhopkins]

I will post photo over weekend.

That will help a lot.


I find it strange that an instrument would have Manby'sdone in true cursive writing engraved on head stock with a 4 digit number also engraved. My research points to Manby violins.

Please explicate: why would this be "strange"? Manby sold instruments, presumably had them marked with his brand. What I have been able to discern from from internet searching, is that Manby was a professor of music, patented a type of violin fingerboard that apparently involved "fret-like" markings to aid students in fingering, and imported and sold European instruments, as detailed in this Directory of Australian Violin Makers, (http://abcviolins.com.au/directory) which quotes as its source the book Violin and Bow Makers of Australia by Alan Coggins. Here is the quote:

MANBY, Charles Evelyn Creasey Jensen (1870-1944) Founded the Manby Violin Company and sold European factory instruments modified with a patented incised fingerboard and sometimes machine heads in place of pegs. Melbourne 1913 to 1930's. Also listed at George St, Sydney in 1920s.

This is the reference, not what I "believe"; I'm agnostic on the subject of Charles Manby, since my only contact with him was in attempting to research an answer to your question. No "malice" involved on my end.


Next why are these so called Pommy banjo mandolins apparently worth so little in Australia, but worth more in America?

We do find on the Cafe´a number of references to mandolin banjos found in Australia; perhaps it was a popular instrument there. Most of these mandolin banjos have been tentatively identified as English imports, but it's surely possible that others were manufactured in Australia. Perhaps your Manby was made there. What led me to hypothesize that it was made in England, was the listing of Charles Manby as an importer and re-seller, rather than a manufacturer.

Also, I'm not sure of the basis for thinking Australian or English mandolin banjos are "worth more in America." They're not common over here; most mandolin banjos found here are US-made, and some of the "big name" ones like Gibson, Vega, Paramount etc. get decent prices -- though not approaching the prices of mandolins made by the same companies in the same time period. The mandolin banjo is basically an out-of-favor instrument here.


I noticed a member here had done a "restoration" on his "English" banjo mandolin, which was almost exactly same as mine.

…which might mean that his was Australian -- or that yours is English -- or maybe not.


I am only new here and mean no malice, as I do understand forums are a place to share info. But I do not just follow what people believe without evidence, in any subject...Is there any "experts" in the English & Australian pre 1930 banjo mandolins who can quote on facts not just beliefs?

Well, I have done my best to dig up facts on Charles Manby and his instruments. This Justanswer post (http://www.justanswer.com/musical-instrument-appraisal/55ki6-good-morning-estimate-manby-violin.html) by "Glenda B," a musical instrument appraiser, states

I can find no evidence that Manby made banjo mandlin. [sic] -- which you can accept as "facts not just beliefs" or not, as you choose.

In any case, that's what contribution I could make in response to your inquiry. Perhaps a Cafe´member from Australia may have more first-hand knowledge.

[Timbo68]

I thank allenhopkins for his help in this subject, and will post pic as promised on week end.

To answer how I came to conclusion of these things seeming to be worth more, when "googling' banjo mandolin, I foundlinks to same looking instruments with what I would call good US$ price tags=nicer AUS$ conversion dollars.