Unmarked Fairbanks Banjo (1890s)
Added 2018-10-30 13:28:31 +0000 UTCFully-restored, unmarked Fairbanks (& Cole?) banjo from a private collection in North Carolina. Matching ivoroid tuners and tail piece--beautiful walnut neck.
"In 1880 Fairbanks joined with W.A. Cole, a well known Boston banjo performer and music teacher, to form the Fairbanks & Cole company. While Cole was largely involved in promotion of the company and its banjos, Fairbanks was primarily responsible for the technical innovation... In 1890 Fairbanks and Cole parted ways, each forming his own company." http://hschwartz.com/FairbanksBanjos/ACFairbanksandco.html
Comments
They are pretty pegs indeed. These are original 19th-century tuners made from imitation ivory (called celluloid or ivoroid) comprised of an early molded plastic. They are lovely and, with a healthy dose of beeswax applied to their shafts, work as well as any ebony or rosewood peg I have used.
Clifton Hicks
2018-10-30 19:05:07 +0000 UTCI particularly like the carved tuning pegs. Very pretty.
Justin Hoffmann
2018-10-30 15:37:31 +0000 UTC
