I collect bass drum pedals and have this information on the Wilson Brothers. I can send some catalog pages if you like but did not see your field drum. Nice drum by the way!

From Not so Modern Drummer March 2, 2014 by Harry Cangany

“Wilson Brothers 1922 Catalog”

Chicago played such a role in the 20th century history of American drum companies. Ludwig, Slingerland, Camco, Liberty, Lyon & Healy, Novak Drum Supply, and today’s featured company—Wilson Brothers. Tom Wilson stated that he became involved with drum building in 1887, and by 1907, he was a principal in Wilson-Jacobs, the predecessor manufacturer to Wilson Brothers, founded in 1917. Wilson-Jacobs sold drums to music stores and distributors for their private labels. Wilson Brothers sold directly to the public, at first, and, then, through music stores. I have no information on Tom’s other brother or brothers.

Rumor has it that Tom Wilson worked at Lyon & Healey and learned his craft there, before later buying the drum works of that prestigious organization and running Wilson Brothers until the late 1920s.

Wilson first made drums and traps, sold Leedy timpani along with his own, and later added banjos just like competitors Leedy and Ludwig & Ludwig, by 1926.

Wilson Brothers eventually had a four story plant at 218 May Street. Their statement, in our catalog, was that they were capable of building 150,000 drums a year, and that seems impressive. I have no idea how much capacity was reached, but I have seen a few Wilsons in my day. Their signature piece was their strainer—the Wilson 3 Way. The throw handle would swivel left, right or stay in the center, supposedly for the ease of the player. Even then, some of us were left handed! The 3 Way strainers seem to always be attached to the bottom hoop. Wilson’s catalog illustrated solid maple shell snare drums and one piece brass shells with a center bead. These metal snare drums could be nickel plated or be colored—ebony, maroon, cream or violet. Bass drums and wood shell snares could also have those colors. The drums could have traditional tube lugs and a Wilson designed separate tension tube lug that used thumb rods at the bottom, with a special lug lock on each lug so that the thumb rods could tension the bottom head and the top head separately (did this inspire Billy Gladstone years later?). Wilson often used the terms “Ultrafine” and “Superfine.”

Tom Wilson was an immigrant from Yorkshire England. He was born in 1865 and immigrated to Chicago in 1886. In 1893, he married Gertrude Wyon and together they had 3 children, one son and 2 daughters. Family story states that just prior to the country hitting the Great Depression, drum sales plummeted and the brothers were forced to sell out. Tom Wilson went into banking and lost pretty much everything when the Depression hit. He passed away in 1943. He was my great grandfather.

marcus8182 4 years ago · 0 Likes

The Wilson factory building still exists (the modern address is 216 N May St), and along with the Slingerland Belden factory and Ludwig's buildling at 1728 N Damen, it's been turned into loft apartments/condos.

Wilson Brothers Mfg. Co. 218-222 North May Street Chicago Ill. Music trades Sept. 21, 1918

Thanks so much!!

I am now wondering if the (faded) I W hand written in the drum was not T W, as in Tom Wilson made this drum.

Thanks again

Mark

Mark, You are quite welcome. Here are some catalog pages and so forth to go with Harry's fine article. I think your IW/TW theory might be correct. Good luck!

I like that big drum...it's bad-a**.