Tilley's Concert Banjoist No.1, 1885

 Arthur Tilley began self-publishing his Concert Banjoist series in 1885/6 to coincide with his 1885 Inventions Exhibition medal success in London. John Alvey Turner & Co. subsequently acquired copyright and, from 1887, became the publisher of the full series. This is an example of Tilley's original self-published cover format for issue No.1. The banjos illustrated are a pair of Tilley's 1885 patented metal rim 'Matchless' model 5-string that was awarded the Gold Medal in the Inventions Exhibition, Kensington, London.