Minstrel Banjo (maker unknown), c. 1860's, made in USA, faux rosewood and natural varnish finish, mahogany neck with brass fingerboard, original black coffin case.
An interesting and rather unusual mid-19th century American banjo. The fingerboard is brass with etched "fret" lines and is screwed to the neck. The headstock is squared off, with a small reverse scroll on top and two inexplicable round holes above the guitar-style slots for the tuners. The tuners themselves are guitar-style brass strips with bone buttons; the fifth string tuner is a single unit of similar type mounted to the side of the neck in unusual fashion, with a bone spacer at the top end.
The end of the fingerboard has simple wood marquetry and small inlaid bone dots for ornamentation. The rim is thin wood with a faux rosewood finish and brass shoes that hook over the bottom edge. The standard type dowel is pinned with a wooden wedge at each end. The tailpiece is brass and bone. A very playable early banjo.
Overall length is 36 1/2 in. (92.7 cm.), 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm.) diameter head, and 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 26 1/2 in. (673 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.). Generally Excellent Condition.
