Manuel Nunes & Sons

Made in 1915 Soprano Taropatch If you read any of the histories of the Ukulele, the name Manuel Nunes crops up very quickly as one of the three cabinet makers credited with inventing the Ukulele. Manuel Nunes however went on from a small luthiery shop like the other two, (Augusto Dias and Jose do Espirito Santo), to start a company, (M. Nunes & Sons), in 1910 making Ukuleles. After he retired in 1917 his son Julius who had taken over as general manager in 1915 after a brief stint on his own, (though I have never seen a Ukulele attributed directly to him?), continued the firm into the 1930's, (though it may be the case that the Southern California Music Co. brought the name in the late teens?) Another son Leonardo started with the company, (hence Sons), but left in 1914 to start his own company and moved to Los Angeles before 1920.  There is no evidence to show that Manuel Nunes was related to Octaviano João Nunes da Paixão a famous Madeira luthier who died in 1874

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