A question for Weymann fans; I am hoping a Weymann descendant, or someone can help with this please.
Buying an old guitar for about $100 some years ago started me on a journey to discover more about Weymann guitars. It’s been difficult at times to ferret out information about this maker whose manufacturing arm ceased almost 90 years ago.
Most difficult has been finding an image of H.W. (Harry) Weymann – (1866-1930).
Initially all I could find were these likenesses in the 1922 Philadelphia Inquirer:

Immediately there looks to be a difference in the face shape reputed to be H.W. Weymann from Image 1 and the to the one on the top right of the Image 2 (although the downturned mouth, the strong nose and the hair style and parting are similarities).
Then I found this blurred group photo in the Music Trade Review also of 1922:

H.W. Weymann is said to be second from the right and has a face shape similar to Image 1.
So, I decided that Image 1 was probably a good likeness, so I asked my daughter to see if she could flesh it out, so it looked more realistic. The result:

I decided to use this in my blog as the image of H.W. Weymann.
BUT recently I had the Image 5 (below) sent to me:


I tried to ask the sender where he found this photo, but I have not received a reply.
This image looks a lot like the one in Image 2 but also looks like the photo of his brother, A.C. Weymann, Image 6 (that I cannot recall where it came from). But that is understandable – brothers look alike.
It would help to know where Image 5 came from. If from a company publication, I think that would be definitive. But I can see the possibility of other publications getting the photos of the 2 brothers mixed up.
Thus, my dilemma. Should I go with Image 5 as a photo of H.W. Weymann?
So please if anyone out there can help, I would be grateful.
STOP PRESS:
My wife pointed out to me that the ears are different in Image 5 and 6. She’s right. They are not the same person. I’m pretty sure that Image 5 is a photo of H.W. Weymann and I’m going to go with that.
HOWEVER, if there is anyone out there who has another photo, I’d love to see it. That also goes for any other material on H.W. Weymann or the H.A. Weymann and Son business. I’d especially like to hear from any descendants, particularly if they have any family tree material. Many family members worked in the business and I’m collecting info for a post on that.
My email address: charles@koolaru.com
Many thanks, Charles Robinson
The game is afoot Dr Watson ….
Yes Jane, and that’s about how long this post is; about a foot long! Sorry it’s a bit of a ramble, surely I’m allowed some indulgence occasionally! Lol Charles
Hi Charles,
Did the finding of the 1929 “Musical Merchandise” magazine article solve the photo question?
Sort of. I’d really like another portrait to confirm. It doesn’t explain why some terrible images in the “Music Trade Review” and a pen drawing in the “Philadelphia Inquirer” newspaper look nothing like that portrait in the “Musical Merchandise” magazine. Charles