RTWhite - Posted - 08/20/2014:  16:02:20

Before you get too excited, I don't own any of the Tsumura Collection banjos.

For awhile now I've been trying to collect the banjo-related items of the Tsumura Collection, and today, I believe, I have achieved my goal of having one of each item.  Because many people know very little about some of these items, I just wanted to share two photos of them with you. One photo has everything tucked away nicely, and the other has most items out of their boxes, for a little taste of what was included.

Included in my Tsumura Collection collection are:

BACK ROW:

• "154 Peghead Beauties" poster.  This poster is from 1993 and is associated with the "One Thousand and One Banjos" book. I've only seen the single poster I bought, but I believe there are "signed" and "unsigned" posters. This one is "signed" but I'm 99% sure it's not an original signature.

MIDDLE ROW, from left:

• "Banjos - The Tsumura Collection." This book was published in 1984 by Kodansha International Ltd. It is a first edition, first printing (I'm aware that there were at least two printings), inside a red slipcover box also containing a Japanese supplemental book.


• "One Thousand and One Banjos - The Tsumura Collection." This book was published in 1993 by Kodansha International Ltd. and is contained in a nice leatherette box. Only 2,500 copies were produced. I also have the original cardboard box but I didn't included it in any photos.


• "Banjo - The Tsumura Collection (1920-1940)." This book was self-published by Akira Tsumura in 1993 to complement "One Thousand and One Banjos." Only 250 copies were produced and the books included banjos that were added to Tsumura's collection after the big book was made.

FRONT ROW, from left:

• "Banjocard." Produced in 1978, two decks of playing cards are included in this collection. Each card has a peghead from a banjo in the Tsumura collection. I believe the two decks are identical (with the exception of the backs of the cards). Also included is a book detailing the banjos from each card and other information.


• "Banjo Playing Card II." I'm not entirely sure when this collection was produced.  It includes two different decks of playing cards. Each card has an open back, five-string banjo from the Tsumura Collection. The higher the card, the better the banjo.  Also included is a book detailing the banjos from each card. The blue deck has various turn-of-the-century banjo maker works on them, such as Dobsons, Fairbanks and Buckbees.  The red deck is all S.S. Stewarts.

I contacted Kodansha International Ltd.'s U.S. office to find more information on the red book and big book, but I was told that the Tokyo office had closed, and while they were updating their files, they had lost a good deal of information, including information about "1,001 Banjos."

I hope you enjoy some of these lesser-known items from the Tsumura Collection.

Edited by - RTWhite on 08/21/2014 12:35:55

My Tsumura Collection collection

My Tsumura Collection collection

blacksmith52 - Posted - 08/20/2014:  16:12:29

Thats Pretty Cool, Thanks for sharing it

RTWhite - Posted - 08/20/2014:  16:29:27

No problemo!

brokestring3 - Posted - 08/20/2014:  17:01:47

Nice collection!

TheLastWord - Posted - 08/21/2014:  02:59:18

Nice!! I purchased the red book when it first came out, but sold it a few years ago.

RTWhite - Posted - 08/21/2014:  06:09:22

Thanks!

I found a red book on amazon for $100, which was a good deal.  It was a first edition, second printing.  I found out later that the book also came with the red box and a Japanese supplemental with the book translated.  I sold my book and bought that book, paying the difference between the two.

The full banjo playing cards are pretty cool.  The greenish-blue deck is a mixture of Fairbanks and Dobsons and any other number of well known turn-of-the-century banjo makers.  The entire red deck is S.S. Stewarts. (I just added that information to my original post.  I was able to look through the cards more last night, first chance I got.)

Edited by - RTWhite on 08/21/2014 06:23:59

beezaboy - Posted - 08/21/2014:  06:42:30

Thank you for sharing your collection and details about Tsumura's publications.

I've saved and printed your post and photos and put a copy in my brown book.  Very good information to know.

I'd like to make an observation about the red and brown books (have never seen 1001).  Concerning four-string banjos, it seems that Tsumura concentrated on assembling a collection of the upper middle and higher end banjos. So, there is some limitation to Tsumura books as reference material.  For appreciating the craft and art of banjo building the books are wonderful.  For collectors who enjoy the more modest models they probably won't be found in Tsumura's books.

60spicker - Posted - 08/21/2014:  06:52:06

Thank you, Ryan. Your pride shows, as it should. I know this was a ton of fun for you, and the collection speaks for itself. Thanks again for sharing it with us lesser beings. :-)

RTWhite - Posted - 08/21/2014:  07:18:55

quote:

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Originally posted by beezaboy

Thank you for sharing your collection and details about Tsumura's publications.

I've saved and printed your post and photos and put a copy in my brown book.  Very good information to know.

I'd like to make an observation about the red and brown books (have never seen 1001).  Concerning four-string banjos, it seems that Tsumura concentrated on assembling a collection of the upper middle and higher end banjos. So, there is some limitation to Tsumura books as reference material.  For appreciating the craft and art of banjo building the books are wonderful.  For collectors who enjoy the more modest models they probably won't be found in Tsumura's books.

---

Good point!  There are SOME five-strings in the brown book, and a good number in "1,001 Banjos" but he certainly focused on the four-strings.  The collection (as far as his published material) is also dated; nothing past 1993.

In the card set book from 1978 Akira Tsumura talks about how banjos aren't made today like they use to. Maybe in the 1970s but there is a lot of great banjo work today.  You won't find Hatfields, or Nechvilles or Bishlines or Stellings in these books (or Deering's Banjosaurus).

RTWhite - Posted - 08/21/2014:  07:24:31

Haha, you're right 60spicker. I started out with the big "1,001 Banjos" book, decided, "eh, what the heck, why not get the red book?" Then I found out the brown book existed (thanks to beezaboy) and tracked one down.  As I purchased the poster from John Bernunzio, I asked him if there was anything else I was missing.  He told me there were two sets of cards (each set with two packs) that are extremely hard to find, but that he was in the process of dealing with a guy in the U.K. for his cards. Right place, right time, I asked if I could reserve them when they came in, which they did last week, and arrived at my place yesterday.

I've done some searching, and it's been hard to even find references to the brown book, poster or cards. Once I had them, I figured I could provide some clarity, and awareness of what's out there.

The process of "discovery" (aka people telling me stuff) for this collection was pretty fun. The individual items (while they don't make music) are entertaining as well.

Edited by - RTWhite on 08/21/2014 07:39:15

wwatson - Posted - 08/21/2014:  15:18:43

Very nice display, Ryan. A lot of good information too. I have the big book, two reds and a set of cards and two Stewarts from the big book. The red book got me into collecting tuning keys, banjo pins and a whole host of banjo ephemera.
Bill

Edited by - wwatson on 08/21/2014 15:22:31

RTWhite - Posted - 08/21/2014:  15:39:12

Which set of cards do you have Bill?

Edited by - RTWhite on 08/21/2014 15:39:22

wwatson - Posted - 08/21/2014:  16:06:58

quote:

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Originally posted by RTWhite

Which set of cards do you have Bill?

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RTWhite - Posted - 08/22/2014:  06:15:18

Bill, the peghead cards seem to be identical decks, with different patterns on the back. The book detailing the included banjos only has one banjo listed for each card.  The other set of cards (the ones with the full banjos, with blue and red backgrounds) have two sets of card IDs, one for the red deck and one for the blue deck. The banjos in each deck for that set are different.

Both sets of cards, the ones from "Banjocard" (the peghead cards) and from "Banjo Playing Card II" (red and blue cards) are really something to look at.  The small books that come with the sets just add to the appeal and info.

Edited by - RTWhite on 08/22/2014 06:15:47

RTWhite - Posted - 09/05/2014:  09:32:08

Through some great new contacts, I've been able to add some private photos of the collection to my "Tsumura Collection" collection.

I also discovered, by turning the "Banjo Playing Card II" box 90 degrees, that the card set is numbered to 500.

turbocoupe2-3 - Posted - 10/16/2014:  16:49:49

Holy Cow !

I was looking for something today and was looking in the china hutch in my dining room and found a set of Tsumura Playing Cards First Edition !  In the original box and plastic case with the sticker on the case. One deck is unopened and the other one is opened !

I didn't even recall having these !

Well what do you know ! lol

Any idea what this set might be worth ?

Edited by - turbocoupe2-3 on 10/16/2014 16:50:31