C.W. Hutchins Banjo ca. 1895

C.W. Hutchins
Crescent Banjo
ca. 1895

MIKE HOLMES was kind enough to send me an early page from his Mugwumps Magazine
which discussed and showed a very ornate banjo by G.S.W. Teel. It is apparent from those pictures
that Teel was the maker of this Hutchins banjo as well as a noname banjo with a similar peghead
presently located in Tokyo, Japan. For those with an insatiable appetite for banjonalia, this page
is located here (beware, it's a huge 650K).

This superb Hutchins banjo is 1 of only 2 known.
It is exceptionally well made with unusual and beautiful details.

The peghead is a complicated and most unusual shape.

The 5th peg cut and heel shape are wonderful.

The hardware is unusual and very pretty, as is the embossed metal
covering on the wooden pot.

Even the dowel stick stamps are ornate.

The ebony fingerboard has mother of pearl inlays.
Curiously, there is no 12 fret inlay, but one at the 13th fret!

The tailpiece is a patented Thompson and Odell but may
be original to this instrument.

It is in VG++ condition. The metal parts are all original and in
bright plated condition. The wood finish is excellent with the
exception of the back of the peghead which has bubbled somewhat.

The minimal gap between the tension hoop and the pot was
too small to permit a skin head, so a fiberskyn head was fitted.
The tuning pegs are vintage ivoroid, the bridge is recent.

The dimensions are 11 1/4" diameter head x 27" scale length.