fiddlinwoman - Posted - 03/14/2012:  07:31:51

I have been searching online for some information about my Dobson banjo but can't see to find a directory of their serial numbers and dates of manufacture.    Mine has a serial number of  6359 stamped on the stick inside the pot , is strung with nylon strings and is in great shape..    I traded an old Martin mandolin for it to a fellow from Goose Creek Banjos at the Brandywine festival in the mid-80's.   I'd really like to know when this one was made and what it might be worth today.  Thanks to anyone who can steer me to more information.  It looks very much like the Dobson pictured here on the forum, with tone ring and has the patent stampings on the stick, starting with 1879...1891 (?) and 1892 (?) .   The last two lines are harder to make out.  There is also a  patent date on the metal plate where the neck meets the pot beneath the strings: 'patented Nov.8,1881" easier to read on one side edge than the other.  

                                 Thanks for any information you can offer!

                                                                             Lausanne Allen

Fathand - Posted - 03/14/2012:  09:13:15

I was going to make a joke about you should date someone younger than Henry Dobson but I better not. 

eugene1978 - Posted - 03/14/2012:  10:03:36

Got any pictures? I've found the nuts are a good indication of the earliest ones, and there are some other feature identifiers, but nothing incredibly specific...

trapdoor2 - Posted - 03/14/2012:  11:29:42

Well...you're not finding any S/N info because there ain't any. These were mostly made by Buckbee for Dobson and squeezing a date out of them is nearly impossible because: 1) records don't exist and 2) nobody has attempted to research them specifically (I may be wrong about #2...I just haven't heard of anyone doing it).

So, your best bet is probably to call it, "post 1892" or, as many do, "turn-of-the-century". The Buckbee company was bought out by Lange in 1897/8...no idea if Dobson was ordering banjos after that.

neighbour - Posted - 03/14/2012:  16:11:36

my dobson  has 35 stamped on dowel, tension hoop and back of scratch plate,8 nov 1881 on side of scratch plate . but on the tonering  its been hand etched  henry c dobson ,maker ny 1885 so i take that date 

RG - Posted - 03/14/2012:  17:41:23

I'd advise bringing a chaperone...

USELESSWALI - Posted - 03/15/2012:  01:51:57

               I DONT GO OUT WITH BANJOS

fiddlinwoman - Posted - 03/20/2012:  19:21:43

Thanks for your lighthearted humor as well as  the information about  serial numbers.  I will take photos of the Dobson and post them here if I can figure that out. At first I couldn't understand why you were poking fun, but then I saw the topic heading and had to laugh at myself.  Now I'm red in the face but I've got a smile ear to ear....

Paul R - Posted - 03/20/2012:  20:58:30

Just send it to me. I'll conduct research and (eventually) get back to you on the banjo's age and value. Don't hold your breath, this could, no, this will take a long, long time.