Rare Historic Banjo Photos
Added 2019-01-12 02:29:45 +0000 UTC
Detail of banjo player near Petersburg, Virginia, circa 1870 (R. H. Sayers Collection).
Miners at Leadville, Colorado, circa 1870 (R. H. Sayers Collection).
Though unusual, there are actually a few existing early banjos with similar "lyre" shaped peg heads. Below is an example from http://www.banjodatabase.dreamhosters.com
This photo is from a private collection near my home in Copperhill, TN. According to the family, this was taken at the funeral of one Alexander Grant, born 1811 or 1812. The banjo at left is said to have belonged to him.
Comments
Yeah, they're great. I've seen one which had the ears broken or cut off and finely refinished into a teardrop shape. One would think it came from the maker that way, but on closer examination it was clearly originally a "lyre" peg head.
Clifton Hicks
2019-05-14 23:07:58 +0000 UTCDamn, that lyre peghead is something else!
Nick Conner
2019-05-14 22:31:06 +0000 UTCAll so is there for us to post our videos on this website so you can check them out and give your awesome advice.
Greg Walsh II
2019-04-16 20:07:41 +0000 UTC
