Summary

Clifford Essex Banjos, Mandolins & Guitars have always been made by superior craftsmen and to this day they are in huge demand throughout the world. A. P. Sharpe a former Managing Director of Clifford Essex wrote several very informative books which were published by the company. Here is an excerpt from his book The Banjo Story which was serialized in our magazine B.M.G. from 1971 - 1973. When Clifford Essex dissolved his partnership with Cammayer in 1900 he formed his own firm at 15a Grafton Street, New Bond Street, London. Instruments bearing the name Clifford Essex Co were put on the market. At first all the banjos were made for Clifford Essex by Spencer, Weaver, Langham [ London ] and Houghton [ Birmingham ]. In 1904 he started his own workshops at The Oval, Kensington, with Alfred Dare as foreman. When Richard Spencer died in 1915, Clifford Essex bought his plant and stock and took his key craftsmen into his employ. Although most of the Clifford Essex instruments sold in those early days were made in the Clifford Essex workshops, many were still made by the above mentioned outside makers. The Weaver made banjos were made to Weaver’s own design although they were sold with the Clifford Essex label on them. In December 1919 the firm’s title changed to Clifford Essex & Son and by then only their cheapest model The Popular was made outside their own work shops by Houghton of Birmingham.

In February 1936 the firm became a private limited company and the title changed to Clifford Essex & Son Ltd. Soon after the outbreak of World War 2 the manufacture of musical instruments was greatly reduced. This was due to a shortage of materials and the military call up of craftsmen. The firm went into liquidation in 1942 and all manufacturing ceased. A. P. Sharpe a former employee of Clifford Essex re-formed the company under the title Clifford Essex Music Co. Ltd and continued to make quality musical instruments. Banjos made after 1945 bear the initials C.E. in mother-of-pearl inlaid into the peg head. 

Clifford Essex banjos ranged in price from [ in today’s money ] £3.50 - £60.00 ]. Model names from the cheapest were - Popular, Clipper, Imperial, C.E. Special, Boudoir Grand Professional [ the only 12” hoop model ], Regal, X.X. Special [ later called Concert Grand ], Paravox, Paragon, New Paragon, Paragon Artist and Paragon Deluxe [ the last 2 being gold plated ]. In addition the firm produced 3 grades of zither-banjo, grade 3 [ the cheapest ], grade 2 and grade 1. It was initially thought that Clifford Essex banjos could be dated in conjunction with the firm’s title, including: 1900 - 1936, 15a Grafton St. 1936 - 1942, 90. Shaftesbury Ave. 1942 - 1957, 8 New Compton St. 1957 - 1976, 20 Earlham St. 2007 - Norfolk Based Internet Company. However this has been proved to be incorrect and unreliable. Paragon banjos have been extensively studied, and a very reliable dating model was established by Peter Corfield and Keith Wilson, both known banjo collectors. Link: https://www.banjohangout.org/archive/351714 From 1942 onwards Clifford Essex flourished under the directorship of the much respected A.P. Sharpe until his untimely death at the age of just sixty one in January 1968. During the fifties Alan Middleton worked closely with AP as his right hand man and during the sixties Clem Vickery took over the role. Alan Middleton left to pursue a teaching career and in 1970 Clem Vickery left to become a professional banjoist. On August 6th 2007 Clem Vickery achieved his life time ambition and re-formed the Clifford Essex Music Co. Ltd and also re-established the company’s famous fretted instrument magazine:- B.M.G. Both Clem and Alan work closely together in matters relating to both the company and BMG.

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