The Prairie Ramblers and Patsy Montana. side 1: I'm a Wild and Reckless Cowboy (From the West Side of Town); side 2: With a Banjo on My Knee (Vocalion 03135). 78 rpm. This coupling was iniially released on various American Record Corporation (ARC) labels.
In 1929, the American Record Corporation (ARC) was established with the merger of three companies. These were the Cameo Record Corporation (which owned Cameo, Lincoln and Romeo Records), the Pathé Phonograph and Radio Corporation (which owned Actuelle, Pathé, and Perfect), and the Plaza Music Company (which owned Banner, Domino, Jewel, Oriole, and Regal).
The Prairie Ramblers and Patsy Montana. side 1: I'm a Wild and Reckless Cowboy (From the West Side of Town); side 2: With a Banjo on My Knee (Conqueror 8786). 78 rpm. Both tracks were recorded in 1937. This coupling was initially released on various American Record Corporation (ARC) labels.
Conqueror Records was a budget record label sold by the Sears-Roebuck Company in their stores and through mail-order. Most of the recordings originated from the Plaza Music Company and later the American Record Corporation (ARC) and Vocalion/Okeh, with some only appearing on Conqueror. The label was active from 1928 to 1942.
The Prairie Ramblers and Patsy Montana. side 1: I'm a Wild and Reckless Cowboy (From the West Side of Town); side 2: With a Banjo on My Knee (Perfect 7-04-69). 78 rpm. This coupling was released on other American Record Corporation (ARC) labels.
Perfect Records was an American budget record label founded in by Pathé Phonograph and Radio Corporation, in 1922. Perfect and Pathé became part of the original merger of record labels that formed the American Record Corporation, in 1929. Perfect was discontinued in 1938.
In 1929, the American Record Corporation (ARC) was established with the merger of three companies. These were the Cameo Record Corporation (which owned Cameo, Lincoln and Romeo Records), the Pathé Phonograph and Radio Corporation (which owned Actuelle, Pathé, and Perfect), and the Plaza Music Company (which owned Banner, Domino, Jewel, Oriole, and Regal).
Nationally known by the 1950s, "Stringbean" David Akeman (1915-1973) was a country comedian and exceptional banjo player. He is credited with reviving interest in the banjo in bluegrass and country music. He made his first banjo from a shoebox and string, and later went on to play with Bill Monroe's Band. Uncle Dave Macon mentioned Stringbean in classic jokes and traditional tunes, and was among the first Opry members to join the cast of Hee Haw. Publicity photographs in the background of this picture include Jean Shepherd, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Stringbean himself, Bobby Lord, Bill Anderson, Flatt and Scruggs, the Browns, and the Four Guys.
This hat was made by an unkown maker in the United States, undetermined dat. It is a bowler style hat, made of felt with a black grosgrain ribbon and red feather. It was worn by Wade Ward (see banjo Cat. #72.01).
Benjamin Wade Ward of Independence, Virginia one of the most admired traditional banjo players of this century owned this banjo. Ward performed with the Galax, Virginia group the “Bog Trotters” often providing entertainment during auctions and other local events. The “Bog Trotters” were comprised of “Uncle” Alec Dunford, fiddle, Dr. W.P. Davis, autoharp, “Uncle” Davy Crockett Ward, second fiddle, Wade Ward, banjo, and Fields Ward, guitar. On Tuesday, January 9th, 1940, the group performed for the American School of the Air broadcast from WDBJ radio studio in Roanoke, Virginia. The CBS American School of the Air programs were written and directed by Alan Lomax.
This pitch pipe was made by William Kratt and Company in Union, New Jersey, undetermined date. This is a New Super SN-6 model, in the keys of C, G, D, and A, for tenor, banjo, or cello, with 4 single holes and 4 reeds. This pitch pipe is comprised of 4 metal tubes joined together with a plastic sleeve. Accessioned with original cardboard box. The box is printed:
NEW Super pitch pipe SN-6 TENOR BANJO CELLO Wm. KRATT CO. UNION, N.J.
This item was sold by Albert Moglie (b. December 16, 1890, Rome; d. June 9, 1988, Washington DC), instrument maker and restorer, and proprietor of a violin shop in Washington DC for 65 years from 1922 until 1987. At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to Antonio Sgarbi and subsequently worked under Luigi Enbergher, Giuseppe Rossi and Rodolfo Fredi, all of Rome. Following these apprenticeships, Moglie was a student of Hippolyte Sylvestre in Paris and Leandro Bisiach in Milan.
Albert Moglie came to America at the age of 24 to work for the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, first in Cincinnati and then New York City in 1916. By 1917 he had established his own shop in New York at 1431 Broadway. He moved to Washington DC in 1922.
Moglie enjoyed a fine reputation in Washington as a violin restorer, and is especially remembered as the caretaker of the Gertrude Clark Whittall Stradivari quartet of instruments at the Library of Congress, an association that began in the 1930s and lasted more than 50 years.
The Smithsonian, National Museum of American History, Archives Center houses additional information on the life and career of Albert F. Moglie:
This pitch pipe was made by William Kratt and Company in Union, New Jersey, undetermined date. This is a New Super SN-6 model, in the keys of C, G, D, and A, for tenor, banjo, or cello, with 4 single holes and 4 reeds. This pitch pipe is comprised of 4 metal tubes joined together with a plastic sleeve. Accessioned with original cardboard box. The box is printed:
NEW Super pitch pipe SN-6 TENOR BANJO CELLO Wm. KRATT CO. UNION, N.J.
This item was sold by Albert Moglie (b. December 16, 1890, Rome; d. June 9, 1988, Washington DC), instrument maker and restorer, and proprietor of a violin shop in Washington DC for 65 years from 1922 until 1987. At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to Antonio Sgarbi and subsequently worked under Luigi Enbergher, Giuseppe Rossi and Rodolfo Fredi, all of Rome. Following these apprenticeships, Moglie was a student of Hippolyte Sylvestre in Paris and Leandro Bisiach in Milan.
Albert Moglie came to America at the age of 24 to work for the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, first in Cincinnati and then New York City in 1916. By 1917 he had established his own shop in New York at 1431 Broadway. He moved to Washington DC in 1922.
Moglie enjoyed a fine reputation in Washington as a violin restorer, and is especially remembered as the caretaker of the Gertrude Clark Whittall Stradivari quartet of instruments at the Library of Congress, an association that began in the 1930s and lasted more than 50 years.
The Smithsonian, National Museum of American History, Archives Center houses additional information on the life and career of Albert F. Moglie:
This sheet music is for the song “We Did It Before and We Can Do It Again,” by Cliff Friend and Charlie Tobias. It was published by M. Witmark and Sons in New York, New York in 1941. The song was featured in the 1941 Broadway musical Banjo Eyes, and performed by Eddie Cantor.
This plucked string instrument was made by an unknown maker, provenance and date unknown. It is a plucked string instrument made of a tortoise shell, wood neck, animal skin top, and two strings. The accession paperwork identifies this instrument as a "primitive banjo."