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Fairbanks Five-String Banjo

National Museum of American History

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Object Details

A. C. Fairbanks Co.
Description

This banjo was made by The A.C. Fairbanks Company of Boston, Massachusetts in 1899. It is a Five-String Banjo, Regent model, serial #18151, with a metal clad wood rim and maple neck, 28 brackets, ebony fingerboard with mother-of-pearl inlay, 22 frets, pearwood headstock with mother-of-pearl inlay, four ivory (one replacement) and one wood tuning peg. There is an engraved metal plate on the dowel stick:

The A.C.FAIRBANKS Co
MAKERS
- BOSTON, MASS. –

Albert Conant Fairbanks began making banjos in 1868 with William A. Cole, a well-known Boston banjo player and teacher. Around 1888, the A.C. Fairbanks Co., Fairbanks was joined by David L. Day. Six years later, Fairbanks sold his interest in the company to businessmen Cummings & Dodge. In 1904, the Vega Co. acquired the business and continued to produce popular banjos made by Fairbanks.

Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of James P. and Vada M. Hogan
1899
ID Number
1999.0296.01
serial number
18151
accession number
1999.0296
catalog number
1999.0296.01
Object Name
banjo
Physical Description
wood (part material)
ivory (part material)
mother-of-pearl (part material)
Measurements
overall: 36 1/4 in x 11 1/2 in x 2 3/4 in; 92.075 cm x 29.21 cm x 6.985 cm
place made
United States: Massachusetts, Boston
See more items in
Cultural and Community Life: Musical Instruments
Music & Musical Instruments
Banjos
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1203696
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-7638-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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