![]() ![]() Lange continued the firm of Rettberg & Lange throughout 1921 and operated the firms of Wm. L. Here is what I've pieced together on closer examination:ġ. Well, further research has caused me to assert that the Lange tags began approx Feb., 1922 not in or about August 1921. Lange firm for his Paramount banjos and dropped the Rettberg name in that advertisement. I've been asserting approx August 1921 when Lange started advertising Wm. You got me thinking about the inception of the Lange tags. So again, All of this tells me that R&L could not have started serial numbering their Orpheums until about 1912 or so. (Lange said he made 1000 Paramounts in its first year 1921-1922 so 1000 Orpheums is not unreasonable estimate IMO). Of course, they were making banjos for other clients not just their own Orpheums, but that is a pretty large output and I've estimated 1000 Orpheums in 1917. In Jan 1918 R&L announced that they made 18,132 instruments in 1917. Look at how low the plectrum banjo numbers are (6XXX - 7XXX - 8XXX). Our next plectrum is #7038 so it sure looks like these are late 1918 or early 1919. Unless it was a special order #6756 can't be earlier than 1918. ![]() Yes, R&L was the first to offer plectrum banjos (Vega made at least one special order plectrum in 1915 but that was a special order). In June 1918 R&L introduced the first regular line production plectrum banjo. This indicates that the earliest that #3110 can be is 1916. VEGA MANDOLIN BANJO SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERWe have a modified Brass Band serial number 3110. In Sept 1914 Orpheum introduced the Brass Band model and in Sept 1916 modified the Brass Band somewhat. This suggests that R&L was not serial numbering the Orpheums until about 1912 or so Instead we only have a puny 3 numbers before the first tenor banjo. If R&L had been serial numbering their 5-string throughout the period 1903-1913 we should had scads of low numbers. Therefore, unless #2040 was a special order which I doubt (I own #2040) then the earliest 2040 can be is 1915. The first Orpheum tenor banjo advertisement was April 1915. VEGA MANDOLIN BANJO SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERSWe have only three (3) early 5-string serial numbers the earliest being #1534 before we come to the first tenor banjo which is #2040. In April 1903 R&L first advertised their Orpheum brand banjos and scuttled the previous Manhattan and Auditorium brand names. In Febuary or March 1903 the editor of Cadenza magazine wrote a little blog saying he'd talked to Rettberg & Lange and that they were about to launch a new line of banjos. Why do I think Orpheum serial numbers start 1913 and not earlier? ![]()
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