Used 5-String Open-Back Banjos
Maker: Bruno
Year: ca. 1910
Notes:
Bruno banjo made by Rettberg & Lange probably around 1910 or so.
Mahogany neck with distinctive Lange heel-carving. Minor playing wear. Fancy shell inlays. Heavy-duty maple rim with large hoop tone-ring.
Some restoration and repairs done in the 1960's or '70's: repaired crack around 4th string tuner; repaired hairline crack next to 5th peg, bit of rim capping repair.
Neck has a bit of a forward bow, but the action is quite low and very playable. Skin head; Original tuners replaced long ago with 1960's era Elton geared pegs.
Presumably original Elite tailpiece. Modern chip-board case.
Maker: Cole
Year: ca. 1890
Notes:
11" Rim. 27" Scale.
Original 5-string Neck, Refinished.
Maker: Cole, Wm.
Year: 1894
Notes:
An all-original Cole's Eclipse in superb original and untouched condition.
Carved boat-heel. Beautiful and multi-colored shell inlays, enhanced by the finest Consalvi engraving we've ever seen.
10 1/2" rim, 27" Scale. There are a couple of dings in the finish and a little loose back-strapping at the 4th string peg.
The pegs are carved ivory... the 5th peg seems to have been repaired. Neck is straight, action is good, virtually no signs of previous
use. Presently strung with nylon strings.
From a Private Collection, this banjo is offered on an As-Is basis.
A modern hard case will be provided.
Maker: Epiphone
Year: 1917
Notes:
11 3/4" Rim.
26 1/4" Scale Length.
Reproduction 5-String Neck by I.G.& B.
Calf-Skin Head.
Maker: Fairbanks
Year: 1909
Notes:
12" Rim with Original Hardwre.
Reproduction 5-string Neck with 28" Scale.
Mostly Original Pearl Inlays.
Maker: Fairbanks
Year: ca 1890
Notes:
Reproduction neck with carved heel
Maker: Fairbanks
Year: 1909
Notes:
Early Fairbanks Whyte Laydie #2; this example has a few things in its history;
Most of the finish removed from the neck sometime in the dim past. Well-used in the subsequent years. a few dings, chips, etc;
a little fingerboard wear, but virtually no fret-wear.
70's era probably ODE planetary geared pegs. Original 5th peg.
Biggest insult is the holes drilled in the rim, possibly to reproduce the historic tone of early Bacon banjos, see last photo.
An abomination, surely, but professionally well executed.
Straight neck, good action. Famous Whyte Laydie tone.
For all these reasons, offered AS-IS.
Maker: Fairbanks & Cole
Year: 1888
Notes:
11 1/2 rim, 24in scale
Maker: Fairbanks and Cole
Year: 1888
Notes:
An uncommonly large rim size for
Fairbanks and Cole in the late 1880's.
12 1/2" rim, 26" scale.
A previous owner indulged in a little refinishing of neck and the wood interior of the rim.
There is a very old and very solid repaired heel crack.
Post-war replacement friction tuners.
Really high action.
Half of the hook and nut sets are original and half are period replacements.
Hence, offered As-Found and As-Is.
Maker: Lange
Year: ca. 1920
Notes:
Reroduction 5-String Neck by IG.& B.
11 13/16" rim, Wooden Tone-Ring.
26" Scale.
Maker: Lyon & Healy
Year: 1892
Notes:
Celebrates the 400-year Anniversary 1492-1892 of Columbus'
Discoveries in America.
Rescued from a life of neglect and indifference in a big city music store.
Maker: Lyon & Healy
Year: Ca. 1895
Notes:
A striking Presentation Model from the Chicago-based Lyon & Healy Co.
12" Rim, Scale Length is 27".
Extensive pearl inlay and brass-wire designs. Detailed heel-carving in the Washburn style, extending way up the neck
and featuring either a fearsome Sea Monster or a very happy Spaniel Pup.
Some restoration done in the 1970's. Some replaced hardware. Neck straight, Action Low, Plays and sounds great,
looks terrific on the wall.
Maker: Lyon & Healy
Year: ca. 1890
Notes:
Un-Marked Washburn Style Banjo with 11" Rim.
Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard and peg-head facing,
fancy shell inlays, 26" Scale length. Calf-skin head.
Neck is straight, good action.
Presently strung with Nyl-Gut strings.
Period ebony tuning pegs replace incomplete set of ivoroid pegs
which can be included.
Maker: Orpheum
Year: Late 'Teens
Notes:
14" Rim with 26" Scale length.
New 5-String neck by I.G.& B.
Presently strung with heavy strings and tuned
a fifth low.
Maker: S.S.Stewart
Year: 1893
Notes:
10" Rim, 24 3/4" Scale Length.
A Generally Accurate Reproduction of a fancy Stewart Banjo
by I. G. & B., using the original inlaid peg-head facing with "putti".
Maker: S.S.Stewart
Year: 1896
Notes:
10 1/2" rim, 26" scale.
The #3 model features a heavier, deeper rim with 28 brackets, nicer carving.
Nearly perfect and un-played.
Presently has a plastic head; Stew-Mac 5-Star Planet Pegs.
Neck is straight, low action.
Maker: Schmick Lyric
Year: ca. 1920
Notes:
All-Original 5-String.
Old Planets.
Straight Neck, Low Action.
10" Head, 27" Scale.
Made by the Vega Co.
Maker: Unknown
Year: 1915/2015
Notes:
Modern Imported Left-Handed Neck Married to a Lange-y Rim with Bacophone Tonering, ca. 1915
10 3/4" Head, 26" Scale.
Maker: Vega
Year: 1925
Notes:
10" Vega pot, 24 3/4", mahogany 5-string conversion, carved heel, engraved pearl inlays.
Maker: Vega
Year: 1922
Notes:
10 3/4" head, 26" scale.
5-string Conversion neck.
