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.

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.

12" Rim with Original Hardwre.

Reproduction 5-string Neck with 28" Scale.

Mostly Original Pearl Inlays.

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.

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.

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.

14" Rim with 26" Scale length.

New 5-String neck by I.G.& B.

Presently strung with heavy strings and tuned

a fifth low.

Modern Imported Left-Handed Neck Married to a Lange-y Rim with Bacophone Tonering, ca. 1915

10 3/4" Head, 26" Scale.

Dowel-stick.
Some Restoration.