American Five-String Fretless Banjo

National Museum of American History

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
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
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_605675
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-4e4a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
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