Stewart, year possibly late 40's

by Andrew
(Edmonton Alberta Canada)

I was wondering about my guitar that was my grand fathers. on the head the name stewart is on it and on the back at the base of the neck if has a the names B and J Certified Musical Products in it. I few years ago I was getting it re-strung and the store manager told me he would give me $30.00 for it because that is all it was worth. To me it is priceless but many years ago I was told it was worth 2 or 3 thousand. I was trying to find more out about the manufacturer but can't find anything on the web. I am just wondering about its worth, it is not for sale just wondering Thanks

ANSWER

Hi, Andrew--

I cannot find any pricing info on your guitar. I did,however find some general info in the Blue Book:

B & J (Buegeleisen and Jacobson) was a distributor in New York, NY during the 1920s that distributed guitars under their own name. However, B & J never produced their own guitars as they had other companies build guitars for them, including Martin. B & J also distributed guitars under the name S.S. Stewart after 1915.

S.S. Stewart was a major banjo producer of the late 1800s, and was one of the first to apply mass production techniques to instrument building with good consequences. Stewart became partners with well-known guitar builder George Bauer, and issued guitars under the Stewart & Bauer trademark from Philadelphia.

I think that the guitar is probably not of any great monetary value. These were probably inexpensive entry level guitars when they were new. As you say, though, value is not always based on price. The real value of this guitar is what it is worth to YOU--priceless.

Lynne