I recently acquired my great, great grandmother’s banjo. She was from Oregon and there’s an old family photograph of her with it, but I haven’t been able to find out much about it from my research. The most noticeable identifying mark is the name “Brunswick” on an engraved plate at the end of the fretboard, but I can’t find anything about banjos with that manufacturer or brand name. I know the head was replaced later and has the mark “Weather King.” I was hoping you all, with your expertise, may help me learn more about it.
A Brunswick banjo like yours appears on the site below. Quite a few photos. You have to create an account for more information.
David
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-brunswick-string-banjo-2073754548
Great (great, great) Grandma photo! banjered
Brunswick was a music jobber. This banjo was likely made by Lyon and Healy.
All of that is more insight than I gleaned in days of aimless internet searching.
Joel, what tips your thinking towards Lyon and Healy? Is it something about the peg head, inlay or heel joint? Something else altogether?
Is there something else I should look for?
I appreciate y’all’s insight
As suggested, I'd also agree a Lyon & Healy-made instrument. Peghead shape, heel brace bracket, black-painted inner rim, and fingerboard plate are all similar design elements of the Mystic model banjos, at least the earlier ones. The fingerboard and peghead inlays are a bit fancier than that of the Mystic. There's also another name that appears on those metal fingerboard plates that I've seen but can't recall at the moment, being different model names they were sold under. I had a Mystic for a time, and it was nicer banjo for the era it was built.
What a great piece plus the photograph for provenance. Always enjoy seeing old instruments and photographs of the original owner and instrument.
Edited by - Noah Cline on 09/23/2026 16:00:20
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