Looking for info on an old 'New Windsor Patent' Banjo please

[Matt_tottenham]

Inherited a while ago from family, I took it to Denmark Street in London (Legendary music shop area of London) but nobody could give me too much info on it. Age estimates ranged from 1880's to the 1940's, value ranged from 'give it away' to circa £750... I'm hoping someone here can fill me in slightly more accurately.

The one thing I know is that it is made of brazilian rosewood with mother of pearl detailing (and possibly ivory tuning pegs), and needs some work, it has been left strung for a VERY long time, and has pulled the neck forward, making the action far too high to play. Otherwise it's in good condition and everyone that had a look agreed it was very nice and surprisingly heavy.

A bit more about the instrument - It's got a plaque that says New Windsor Patent on the back, and has 'No.5' Etched into the head, it's also got 8 strings which I can find nothing about other than my post on another site from a few years ago that didn't bring about too much info.

Here's a link to some photos - http://imgur.com/a/NXdeP

Thanks guys

[Dave Hanson]

Try www.mugwumps.com lots of banjo info there.

Dave H

[Ivan Kelsall]

The Windsor range of banjos etc. was possibly the largest in the UK at the time they were being built. They were essentially 'mass produced' or what passed for MP in those days.That said,many of them were of decent quality & worth keeping in good order.
For some expert advice,you could contact this guy :- http://glensbritishbanjocollection.weebly.com/contact His contact e-mail address is on the page,
Ivan;)

[Matt_tottenham]

Great, thanks guys, I'll have a look and see what I can find

[allenhopkins]

This chapter of British Banjo Makers (http://www.whitetreeaz.com/vintage/brit4.htm) has a lot of info on Arthur O Windsor and his banjos. He was best known for his "zither" banjos, five-strings which had a tunnel in the neck through which the fifth string passed, and which had six tuners on their slotted headstocks, but (generally) only five strings.

Windsor apparently used his namesake, Windsor Castle, on his trademarks. Elderly Instruments showed a zither banjo with the "New Windsor Patent" medallion, and dated it to "early 1900's," which would make sense for yours given its general appearance; 1940 (which is when Windsor's factory was destroyed in the Blitz) seems 'way too late for it.

The article says Windsor was building mandolin-banjos as early as 1893, and I'd say yours is closer to that date than to 1940.