Early in the 1900 the Fairbanks Company had made a second grade banjo called the “Star” which had a five pointed star on the peg head. DEC. 30, 1890 JAN. 10, 1893 JULY 27, 1909 34845. Fairbanks, then switched to Fairbanks banjo by the Vega Co., then eventually to just Vega. However, totally ignoring the transition omits a big chapter of banjo history and skips some very interesting Vega Company information. Restored by Black Bear guitars in Yakim Soiling, rust, wear, a couple small edge chips above neck, stains. Day, who had been the chief acoustical designer at Fairbanks, became general manager of the Vega stringed instrument division and continued to develop innovative and successful banjo designs. 1922 - David Day leaves Vega. Mine omits any mention of Fairbanks. Here is a Great Old Time open Back 5-String Banjo. The company’s fortunes shifted in the 1940s, but saw some resurgence in the ’50s with the Pete Seeger longneck model. Six years later, Fairbanks sold his interest in the company to businessmen Cummings & Dodge. DSmoke - Posted - 02/18/2018: 06:39:38. $100.00 shipping . Provenance: Estate of Richard Jablonski, Southbury CT. Vega once made some of the most highly desirable banjos in the world, five string, plectrum, and tenor models, first under the Fairbanks name, eventually switching to Vega. 1920s Vega Tubaphone Deluxe 17 fret tenor banjo - ohsc. Thanks again for all the info. 26 watching. Answered in 11 hours by: 7/11/2020. #52190 with Fairbanks/Vega stamp. Business prospered and kept the three craftsmen busy but for some years Vega guitars were only known in and around Boston. Around 1888, the A.C. Fairbanks Co., Fairbanks was joined by David L. Day. In 1908 the Whyte-Laydie was re-designed again by David L. Day with a scalloped tone ring and in 1909, the equally famous Vega Tub-a-phone tone ring and banjo was introduced. Originally started in Boston, Massachusetts in 1880. The smaller banjo has the following markings: FAIRBANKS BANJO MADE BY THE VEGA COMPANY BOSTON, MASS. The collection includes rare banjos made by pioneer manufacturers including the Bacon Banjo Company, Vega, Epiphone, S.S. Stewart, Gibson, J.H. In 1904, the Vega Co. acquired the business and continued to produce popular banjos made by Fairbanks. I believe this was made before 1914, priceing? Carl took no active part in production ; he was merely the financial adviser (book keeper) in the beginning. Albert Conant Fairbanks began making banjos in 1868 with William A. Cole, a well-known Boston banjo player and teacher. 9 tubephone and wondered what it was suppose to have or not. The museum displays instruments that demonstrate changing technology in banjos across more than 160 years from the 1840s through the present. Fairbanks Banjo Made By Vega Company, Boston for auction. American Banjo, Vega Company, Boston, c. 1921, Model Tubaphone #9, stamped on the dowel stick TUBAPHONE 45097, FAIRBANKS BANJO, MADE BY, THE VEGA COMPANY, BOSTON MASS, NO 9..., etc., and stamped 45097 on the inside rim, diameter of head 10 15/16 in., with later case. LITTLE WONDER" with two stars with VEGA written(in very small letters) in between. Provenance: Estate of Richard Jablonski, Southbury CT. 1910 - Metal nameplate replaced with stamp "FAIRBANKS BANJO made by THE VEGA COMPANY". Vega also made some of the early Bacon Professional banjos. The serial number on the rim matches the serial number on the square dowel, which is stamped with 2 Vegas-in-a-star, a “Fairbanks Banjo made by The Vega Company, Boston, Mass” stamp, “Style R,” and three more patents dated 1890, 1893 and 1909. 37434 . Contact Glenn Tinturin Serial No. Share this conversation. or Best Offer. U. S. Patent #489470 dated January 10, 1893, by Albert C. Fairbanks, for new and useful … Price: $2,149.00 CAD . (27.2 cm) with case (2) Ask Your Own Musical Instrument Appraisal Question. It was available as a 5-string or plectrum; No.3 or No.9, with mild or intense ornamentation. I believe that dates it to about 1921. Show More. Any model F-V or Vega banjo with serial #s between 52669 and 52684 (a 15 number range), when the switch from "Fairbanks Banjo, Made by Vega" stamp to the "Made by Vega" stamp seems to have occurred. Vega serial #s between 99369 and 99686, when the switch from the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems to have occured. The strange thing about this banjo is it’s stamped "made by the vega company" but according to the number it was made around 1910 and during that time the vega company was making these banjos but still marking them "Fairbanks banjo made by the Vega Company". Was bought by the Vega Co. acquired the business and continued to produce popular banjos made by.., Vega/Martin was bought by the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems have. 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