Minstrel Banjo (maker unknown), c. 1860, made in USA, natural finish, original black hard shell case.
This is a very interesting and surprisingly well preserved mid-19th century American banjo, still fully playable in its original context. This very plain unmarked instrument is likely the work of a cooper or general woodworker more than a dedicated banjo maker, of which there were only a few in the pre-Civil War period! The construction is very basic but functional, and does not particularly correspond to the signature style of any known builder we are aware of. In style and construction it is definitely American made but beyond that it is impossible to pinpoint any exact origin. This style of banjo was pretty much obsolete after the Civil War, so while we cannot date this handmade piece absolutely it is of the expected style for the 1850s and '60s.
The rim is very thin, made of lapped wood held together with flattened metal pins. There are ten hook and nut sets; the long metal shoes and square nuts are pretty basic, the hooks a bit nicer in construction and may have been commercially procured. The square dowel stick extends through the rim for the tailpiece gut to be fastened onto, typical of this style of banjo. The neck heel is pinned to the rim with a couple of small screws. The floating tailpiece itself is almost certainly a reproduction, but is in a period correct style as is the maple bridge.
The neck is carved from a single piece of wood, very slim at the nut with a deep U-profile and an extreme taper towards the rim. There is no separate fingerboard, the traditional angled cut-out under the board above the rim is present but less deep than some. The small rectangular headstock is rounded off at the top back edge, with a small scalloped pattern on the top edge of the face that is the only overt decoration on the instrument. The violin style tuners are very crudely carved; it is hard to tell if these were a matched set (the lengths are varied) but they all appear to date to the same general period.
Considering its apparent age this is a surprisingly playable instrument with a deep rich sound. It is accompanied by an original period banjo-shaped coffin case that is rather more cleanly crafted than the instrument itself, made of blacked wood with a green felt lining and a nicely built hinged pocket box under the neck. This is far from the fanciest Minstrel era banjo we have had but nonetheless is a remarkable authentic package, set up to play and suitable for the appropriate musical styles of the mid-19th century. Civil War re-enactors take note: this is the real deal, as correct as it gets to accompany the troops in camp!
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 28 in. (711 mm.). Width of nut is 1 in. (25 mm.).
Considering its age (something like 160 years) this is a remarkable well preserved instrument, but it does show a well-worn and weathered patina and a few small repairs. Both the wood and metal parts have a fantastic naturally antiqued patina, with a lot of corrosion on the hoop and hardware and weathering to the wood. There is a repair inside the rim where a cross-grain patch has been added to reinforce a long grain split above the dowel. There are some dings and dents but no heavy damaged spots beyond this.
The head is an older piece of calfskin but not period and the bridge and tailpiece are later reproduction pieces but stylistically correct. The strings and tailpiece rope are nylon, with a silk-wound 4th string. Actual gut could be substituted for both to achieve completely period-correct accuracy, of course. The case is original with some later repair to the handle. This banjo and case are remarkable survivors, a really beautiful period package suitable for museum display but also fully playable in the period style. While we don't exactly recommend taking it out to entertain the rowdy crowd in an 1870's style saloon, this is a performance-worthy banjo for the dedicated historical player. Very Good + Condition.
