Other British Makers and Distributors of the 20^th c.

Fitzroy

Merry Bright

Swanee

Roly

Eric Graham & Co

Columbian

Tonella

Encore

Maxitone

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In the 1930's the major British Banjo makers produced a lot of instruments for others, like small distributors, big shops and minor celebrities to re-brand and distribute. Some like Alvin Keech or JeTeL are fairly easy to find information on, but a lot of them I can find very little about beyond the fact that they branded Banjoleles, very often made by GH&S and including the Lion stamp, (it may be the case that some of them were House brands for GH&S?). There were also a number of small British Banjo makers/luthiers at the beginning of the 20th century for whom it is also difficult to find much information on I am including here
One final note and its a General one - If you see a small British made banjo instrument with 8 strings it is a Banjo Mandolin not a Banjolele

These are brands I have little or no information on so... Any Help?

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Brand Name	Original Maker(s)	Further Information
Columbian		Nothing to do with the Tonk Bros use of the brand name
Encore
Eric Graham & Co		The button on the back of the headstock reads Eric Graham & Co. Makers London, may have been a maker or may just have been a shop?
Fitzroy
Maxitone	GH&S	I have seen Equity 9 on the headstock as well. This brand has nothing to do with the Maxitone Banjolele sold by the US Distributor Bruno. What I have seen was made by GH&S so it may just be another of their House brands?
Merry Bright	Rose Morris	I have also seen it suggested that this actually was a Rose Morris brand but have no definite proof?
Roly		The name may not even be correct there was a hole drilled through the headstock logo of the only example I've seen?
Swanee		Nothing to do with the US Banjo maker Swanee, (who didn't make Banjoleles)
Tonella	GH&S

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