Bacon & Day Silverbell #1 Model Mandolin Banjo, c. 1927, made in Groton CT, shaded maple finish, laminated maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
The 8-string mandolin/banjo variant is one of the rarer B & D Silver Bell instruments; it has the same elaborate laminated maple construction as its larger brothers, with similar fancy pearl inlay on the fingerboard and headstock. As with all 1920's Silver Bell banjos, this is an extremely high-quality instrument with a very powerful and well-modulated tone, one of the best sounding banjo-mandolins we have ever seen.
Overall length is 24 1/2 in. (62.2 cm.), 10 1/16 in. (25.6 cm.) diameter head, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth at side. Scale length is 13 3/4 in. (349 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.). Very clean and original overall; all original except for a modern frosted plastic head and bridge, one resonator screw and bracket is missing. This instrument has one oddity that is the result of an old repair-the internal dowel stick is mounted upside down. This is not visible when the instrument is assembled, but it is a bit odd! Other than this, a splendid example of a rare and superb quality banjo-mandolin. Overall Excellent - Condition.
