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American Five-String Fretless Banjo

American History Museum

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    Object Details

    Description

    This banjo was made by an unknown maker in the United States around 1848-1855. It is a Five-String Banjo with a walnut or mahogany shell, metal hoop, twelve brackets, rosewood neck with a unique silhouette below the 5th string tuner, an unusual rectangle-shaped peghead, friction pegs, and an early style machine peg for the 5th string.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Gift of Frank E. Savale

    date made

    1848-1855

    ID Number

    MI.380526

    catalog number

    380526

    accession number

    153640

    Object Name

    banjo

    Physical Description

    wood (overall material)
    metal (overall material)
    animal skin (overall material)

    Measurements

    overall: 36 1/2 in x 12 1/2 in x 3 in; 92.71 cm x 31.75 cm x 7.62 cm

    place made

    United States

    See more items in

    Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
    Music & Musical Instruments
    Banjos

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-4e4a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_605675

    Discover More

    Five-Stringed Banjo

    Instruments

    Five-Stringed Banjo

    Visual Art Featuring Banjos

    Playing the Banjo

    Five-Stringed Banjo

    Banjos

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