ksdaddy - Posted - 02/08/2010:  02:43:21

I picked up this pot on ebay for $50. It's a little over 10-5/8". The walls are 3/4". The rim appears to be walnut, veneered on the inside and outside. There is inlaid wood around the edge, not a decal. I have no delusions that it's worth any more than what I paid, I'm just curious if it can be identified as to age and brand. There are no numbers stamped. The neck was broken off but the dowel stick remains. I have no idea if it was a tenor, plectrum, or 5 string. The artwork on the head is cool and appears to be 20's era. In fact one drawing is dated '27, for what that's worth. The head appears to be stable, no tears, so I plan to be extra careful handling it. I may seek a period correct neck or I may make one from scratch. I'm posting one pic here but also the link to the ebay auction, which has many more pics. I would love to hear any guesses.

One pic:



Link to the ebay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...TRK:MEWNX:IT

Edited by - ksdaddy on 02/08/2010 02:56:39

mralston - Posted - 02/08/2010:  03:34:51

Below is a picture of similar, but not identical, wood marquetry from a tenor banjo labelled "Humphrey" by W. R. Co. The peghead (on my banjo) looks like Stromberg Voisinet, so I assume that SV made the banjo for W. R. Co.

The only eBay picture of the inside of the pot isn't especially helpful, shows dowel yoke hardware that was used by a bunch of manufacturers. My opinion guess is that you have a pot from a SV-made tenor banjo, based on not much evidence.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 02/08/2010:  09:12:31

I'd opt for Slingerland because of the dowelstick hardware. The marquetry was common to Slingerland and S-V; there was lots of crossover among the Chicago banjo-making companies.

Paul Gorman - Posted - 02/08/2010:  10:31:59

Oscar Schmidt used a band identical to Mike's. As Bill says, lots of crossover using supplier elements. Those tension hooks were used by all three and House of Stathopoulo as well as many other labels, but the shoes are unusual. They were used on Orpheums and Lyrics which were, I believe, in the Retteburg/Lang/ Paramount heritage.

Take a look at the tone ring before you decide to spend a lot of time refitting a neck.

Edited by - Paul Gorman on 02/08/2010 11:32:07

ksdaddy - Posted - 02/08/2010:  15:29:26

So it's a pretty safe bet it was born in the Chicago family of companies.

TB-4 Guy - Posted - 02/08/2010:  18:31:56

It's a nice piece of Americana. Coming from Chicago as it apparently did (I did too) I would take a guess that the neck was broken off in a dispute in a bar over the affections of a lady.

There's a story in there somewhere. LOL.

Paul Gorman - Posted - 02/08/2010:  22:11:59

Take a look at Ebay item 360233196024. Looks like your pot. Seller says it is a Gibson. Could be.

ksdaddy - Posted - 02/09/2010:  04:14:56

Wow, it looks just like it. I wish that one had a brand name.

Not that it matters, it just bugs me to not know. As previously stated, I have no delusions. It's an old pot. But it shall ring again.

Paul Gorman - Posted - 02/10/2010:  10:51:03

That one on EBay is evidently not a Gibson. It appears to have a tone ring like a Bacon or Dobson, Silver Bell type but the peghead is plug simple and the resonator brackets look like post war asian. Does ypours have that donut tone-ring?