Bacon & Day Sultana Silver Bell #1 Model Tenor Banjo (1939), made in Groton CT, serial # 35282, shaded maple and pearloid finish, laminated maple neck and rim, original brown hard shell case.
Here is a late example of one of Bacon & Day's crowning creations�the Sultana Silver Bell. While all Silver Ball banjos are generally quite fancy, Sultanas have a unique shaded pearloid d�cor and are distinctive even by Bacon standards. This #1 style, the lowest of the Sultana line is still an flamboyantly flashy instrument. This banjo would have been made shortly before the sale of the Bacon company to Gretsch and features the later "cloverleaf" flange instead of the standard "F-hole" style, as well as the larger peghead characteristic of '30's Bacons. The market for such fancy tenor banjos had cooled considerably by the late 1930's, but here is one of the last of those red hot mamas!
This banjo features elaborate painted-in engraving in the pearloid headstock, fingerboard, heelcap, reverse of headstock and concentric rings on the resonator back. The tuners are original with celluloid buttons and the tailpiece is the individually adjustable 4-claw Oettinger. The patented B & D mute pedal is missing. There is an original owner's name "Viola Cannon" factory engraved on the resonator back. The B & D Silver Bell is generally considered to be one of the finest tenor banjos ever created as well as the flashiest, and this is a great playing, sounding and fairly rare example.
Overall length is 34 in. (86.4 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) diameter head, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) deep. Scale length is 23 in. (584 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.). Very nice overall, some of the painted decoration has faded somewhat but overall still a strong look. There is some light wear overall, mostly scratching to the resonator back but no alterations except a newer plastic head and the mute is removed, with the small hole in the rim filled in (could be reversed if desired). All other hardware is original and intact. There is some light fretwear but a this remains an excellent player, complete with the original brown HSC. Excellent - Condition.
