Orpheum 5 String Banjo, made by Rettberg and Lange , c. 1910
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Item # 10505
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Orpheum Model 5 String Banjo, made by Rettberg and Lange, c. 1910, made in New York City, serial # 1585, natural re- finish, laminated maple rim and neck, ebony fingerboard, period hard shell case.
This is an interesting and fairly rare 5-string banjo from New York's premier makers of the early 1900s, Rettberg and Lange. The Orpheum brand was the higher-end marque in the company's line, offered from just after the turn of the century (the rim patent dates to 1903) up into the 1920s. This is a fairly early example and does not carry a style marking; it has a mid-line level of appointments similar to the later #1 Model and is quite similar to the Bruno Model #635 (a contemporary R&L product for that NY jobber).
This is a very large banjo for the time, a precursor to the company's better known "Brass Band" model. The rim is an oversize design nearly 13" in diameter, combined with the patented Orpheum suspended arch-top tone ring and a very long 28" scale neck. The neck and rim are laminated maple, with what appears to be an actual ebony fingerboard. The tone ring has an outer sheath and is raised on small pillars set into the rim, a basic design Lange would carry forward into the 1020s Paramount line.
The fingerboard features wood binding, a 3-fret extension over the head and colorful small shaped abalone inlay. The face of the headstock has a more elaborate nouveau pattern in the ebony overlay, with contrasting wood laminations under it and along the neck. The maple rim is capped in rosewood around bottom; both it and the neck have some nice burl figure in the wood.
This banjo carries two stampings on the dowel; an early 4-digit serial number and "1908" which we cannot verify as a date but is pretty much in the ballpark if it was so intended! The celluloid "Orpheum" tag on the dowel is mostly faded but legible, the "Made by Rettberg & Lange NY" tag and rim patent stamping are still clear. This imposing banjo represents Rettberg & Lange's instrument craft at a fairly early point but still fully developed. It is a fine playing and sounding example of a 1910-era large-rim banjo, not the loudest but with more depth to the sound than many from the era.
Overall length is 37 1/4 in. (94.6 cm.), 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm.) diameter head, and 2 3/4 in. (7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 28 in. (711 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This banjo is in structurally excellent condition but has a typical "old man" modification; the original varnish has been overfinished and polished out on all wood surfaces. This was fairly common in the 1960s and '70s, seen as an improvement as many older players of the time wanted their vintage instruments to look "like new". The rosewood rim capping has been replaced but nothing else was altered. The hardware remains all original; all parts including hooks, nuts, ivoroid button friction tuners and beautiful original patented Cammed No-Knot tailpiece have survived unaltered with some typical plating wear.
This lovely banjo is a very good player; the neck has some minor relief but nothing that affects playability. The fairly thin frets appear original but it is possible this is an ancient refret. The sound is big but never muddy; It is set up with nylon strings (this is firmly from the gut-string era) over an ancient but solid calfskin head with an older bridge and sounds very authentic. The banjo still rests in a slightly battered but still intact, functional (and very rare!) period HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is an interesting and fairly rare 5-string banjo from New York's premier makers of the early 1900s, Rettberg and Lange. The Orpheum brand was the higher-end marque in the company's line, offered from just after the turn of the century (the rim patent dates to 1903) up into the 1920s. This is a fairly early example and does not carry a style marking; it has a mid-line level of appointments similar to the later #1 Model and is quite similar to the Bruno Model #635 (a contemporary R&L product for that NY jobber).
This is a very large banjo for the time, a precursor to the company's better known "Brass Band" model. The rim is an oversize design nearly 13" in diameter, combined with the patented Orpheum suspended arch-top tone ring and a very long 28" scale neck. The neck and rim are laminated maple, with what appears to be an actual ebony fingerboard. The tone ring has an outer sheath and is raised on small pillars set into the rim, a basic design Lange would carry forward into the 1020s Paramount line.
The fingerboard features wood binding, a 3-fret extension over the head and colorful small shaped abalone inlay. The face of the headstock has a more elaborate nouveau pattern in the ebony overlay, with contrasting wood laminations under it and along the neck. The maple rim is capped in rosewood around bottom; both it and the neck have some nice burl figure in the wood.
This banjo carries two stampings on the dowel; an early 4-digit serial number and "1908" which we cannot verify as a date but is pretty much in the ballpark if it was so intended! The celluloid "Orpheum" tag on the dowel is mostly faded but legible, the "Made by Rettberg & Lange NY" tag and rim patent stamping are still clear. This imposing banjo represents Rettberg & Lange's instrument craft at a fairly early point but still fully developed. It is a fine playing and sounding example of a 1910-era large-rim banjo, not the loudest but with more depth to the sound than many from the era.
Overall length is 37 1/4 in. (94.6 cm.), 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm.) diameter head, and 2 3/4 in. (7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 28 in. (711 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This banjo is in structurally excellent condition but has a typical "old man" modification; the original varnish has been overfinished and polished out on all wood surfaces. This was fairly common in the 1960s and '70s, seen as an improvement as many older players of the time wanted their vintage instruments to look "like new". The rosewood rim capping has been replaced but nothing else was altered. The hardware remains all original; all parts including hooks, nuts, ivoroid button friction tuners and beautiful original patented Cammed No-Knot tailpiece have survived unaltered with some typical plating wear.
This lovely banjo is a very good player; the neck has some minor relief but nothing that affects playability. The fairly thin frets appear original but it is possible this is an ancient refret. The sound is big but never muddy; It is set up with nylon strings (this is firmly from the gut-string era) over an ancient but solid calfskin head with an older bridge and sounds very authentic. The banjo still rests in a slightly battered but still intact, functional (and very rare!) period HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.