Benjamin (I) Banks

BANKS, Benjamin (I) Born 1727, died 1795 Salisbury UK. Apprenticed to his uncle William Hutoft in 1741. As far as is known he remained in occupation of Hutoft’s workshop in Catherine Street from Hutoft’s death in 1747 until Bank’s own demise in 1795. From 1757 until the late 1760s he seemed to be mainly concerned with keyboard instruments, but when his violins, violas, and cellos started to appear they are highly sophisticated and fully informed by the best London practices. Worked with the London shop of Longman & Broderip, who seem to have sold his violins in London (where they were stamped with the Longman name) in return for the keyboard instruments supplied to Banks in Salisbury. His work is mostly very fine and beautifully varnished in deep red brown or golden orange, but like other London makers Banks supplied instruments in various qualities at different prices. He worked on an Amati or Stainer form, and his cellos are particularly sought-after. Instruments branded ‘Banks’ externally and on the inner linings, and frequently signed on the interior of the front. Branded on all parts of interior and beneath back button. Printed labels: Benjamin Banks / Musical Instrument Maker / In Catherine Street, Salisbury, 1779 Made by Benjamin Banks / Catherine Street, Salisbury, 1770 Benjamin Banks / fecit / Catherine Street, Salisbury, 1775 Benjamin Banks / Catherine St., Sarum

He was the second son of the great Benjamin Banks, and was born on Sept. 13, 1754, at Salisbury. He died in Hawk Street, Liverpool, where he last worked, on Jan. 22, 1820. He worked with his father for about ten years, but in 1780 he moved to 30 Sherrard Street, Golden Square, London. He did not remain long there, probably because he failed to command any attention. Very little of his work is known, and what there is does not entitle the maker to anything beyond a passing notice.

englischen Meister und wohl der erste, der das bis dahin in England bevorzugte
Stainermodell aufgab und Amati und die Cremoneser zum Vorbild nahm. In
der Arbeit ist er tadellos, sein Lack, von schöner Durchsichtigkeit, zeigt bei
seinen besten Werken braungelbe, ins Röthliche spielende Farbe, bei gewöhnlichen
Arbeiten ist er schwärzlich-dunkelroth. Er baute sowohl Violinen als
Violen und Violoncelli, namentlich die letzteren sind werthvoll, wobei die mit
breitem Modell vorzuziehen sind. Bässe dürfte er nie gebaut haben, auch nicht
für die Verlegerfirma Longman & Broderip, für die er nachweislich gearbeitet
hat. Ausser seinem Zettel verwendete er auch einen Brandstempel mit B. B.

Son of George and Barbary Banks, b. July 14, 1727 ; d. Feb. 18, 1795. Was one of the first English makers to follow the Amati instead of the Stainer pattern, copying it very closely. Pupil of Wamsley in London, then settled in Salisbury.
His instruments are excellently made, the scrolls perhaps somewhat clumsy; the tone is good, particularly that of the violoncellos. The varnish is transparent and rich; brownish-yellow colour with a reddish tinge is used for his best instruments, deep red with blackish tinge for others. He unfortunately let it clog the fibre of the bellies, which gave them a white appearance, or, technically, “the grain was killed.”
His large violoncellos are best, the smaller ones are equally well made but have not the same amount of tone, the style of finishing is very marked and decided, so that his instruments are easily recognised. A violoncello made after the Stainer model, with yellow brown-red varnish, had a fine tone. The average price of the best violoncellos between 1790 and 1794 was from ten to twelve guineas, but in this century they realised as much as £50.
Inferior instruments were made by him (probably assisted by sons or other workmen) for Longman and Broderip, music publishers, the pattern long, more on the Stainer model, with red varnish. The names of Longman and Broderip are stamped on the back under the button, but there is no writing or label to show who was the maker. No double-bass of his is known, and it is doubtful if he or any member of his family ever made one.

” B. B.” was stamped on the back or beneath the button at the end of the neck, also “B. Banks, Sarum.”