I've never heard of Novak. My guess is they were a distributor (not a manufacturer at all) for drums made by one of the major drum companies. Lyon and Healy (which later became Wilson Bros) would be one likely candidate, since they were based in Chicago in the early 1900's. Leedy would be another possibility. Someone may recognize the hardware, especially throwoff.

From Rob Cook's Slingerland Book quoting George Way's rather opinionated assessment of other companies in the drum manufacturing business as of 1932 (on page 29 of the second printing if you're playing along at home):

"THE NOVAK DRUM COMPANY, of Chicago. A former drummer with very limited ideas and a very small shop, employing only four or five people.Makes a business of supplying extremely cheap merchandise to such houses as Montgomery-Ward and Sears-Roebuck. This firm is not recognized by professional or the amateur drummer. Their total business cannot possibly reach more than $50,000.00 a year of that much. They also manufacture a cheap line of ukuleles and guitars."

It also appears that E. J. Nokes, formerly of Boston's Nokes & Nicolai (1912 - 1926) and later Liberty Musical Instrument Company (1926), became Novak's General Sales Manager in 1927. He didn't stick around for long though. Nokes was back in Boston going out on his own again by 1928.

Anywho, reading into some of Way's thoughts, Novak made entry level instruments for students. The company would not have been a serious competitor of the titans of the day - Ludwig and Leedy.

That makes since judging by the look of the instrument you came up with - it's not poorly made but it is an entry level instrument for the era. Nonetheless, a very cool piece of history!

For more on Novak, got to http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/search-music/, search Novak Drum Co., and you'll turn up a few other nuggets of info. Here's a cool ad I found:

http://www.arcade-museum.com/mtr/MTR-1926-82-24-SECTION-2/index.php?page_no=24&frame=MTR-1926-82-24-SECTION-2-24.pdf

Again, cool drum! Thanks for sharing the pics!

-Lee

Oldrum - Based on the more limited production possibilities of the time (less machine and computer production tools. Mostly all were what would be called “hand made” today.), it seems that way back the differences in making a quality instrument and an inexpensive instrument weren’t as extreme as today. That drum didn’t have the prestigious “big name” behind it but looks to be crafted as well as a comparable “big name” model of the same style drum. Novak doesn’t seem to be holding anything back (how many lugs etc. Oops! I meant Thumb Rods.) to cheapen the drum.

I believe that style drum was once the norm for pros too. The earlier you go back the more you see this type of drum.

Compare it to the same type of model from other more well known companies in 1926, and I think it will hold its own. If so, it is also rarer!

Cool1