It was invented in UK by Alun Ashworth-Jones and Nigel Thornbory, and they manufactured the early ones. The early ones had a more fanciful shape than the current "dog bones." Guild picked it up; then Fender bought Guild. Along the way Fender introduced a low-end Guild clone line and named it De Armond, after the one-time pickup maker, which I assume Fender had acquired the rights to. At this point the only surviving model is the Ash[worth-Jones][Thorn]bory bass.
I think it was Hartley Peavey who said that, in the musical instrument business, companies come and go, but trade names live on forever.