Antique c1890 LYON & HEALY? 5 String BANJO Washburn? Open Back For Sale

I am listing this newly found 5 string banjo for sale that I think is an early pre-1900 Lyon & Healy made instrument. It has extra abalone (not MOP I think because the colors are deeper) inlays in the fret board including a inlaid harp! It is a full size 17 fret model with open back. The only markings arethe star head inlay, number 18 stamped inside the clad wood tone ring where the neck goes into the ring. Also the \"Conservatory\" Label on the neck stem and initials RCK stamped onto the neck stem. Wood wedge holds the neck on along with the tail piece screw. Has a 4 string \"No Knot\" tail piece with Nov. 19, 1901 patent date which may mean banjo was being used as tenor at one time. The string tuner ferrules on back of head arepatent dated May 8, 88 for 1888 manufacture and lookto be original. So this is why I am dating this to the pre-1900 period. Missing the nut and skin is torn. The neck looks very straightthough even though the fret board needs to be re-glued to the mahogany neck. Frets look to be usable yet butfret 9is gone as well as some of the fret board surface there. Tuners are all good. Ring is good shape but needs cleaning to the nickel plated surface. Two hooks are missing of the 24 total but all the cleats are there and in good shape. Ebony neck heal. Someone put an eyelet into the back of the head below the tuners were a leather shoulder strap once was. Oh, the neck is 17 3/4 inches long, nutwill be1 1/4 inches, and the ring is 11 inches! Hardware cleans up with some ammonia on a cotton ball and looks like the plating is very good.

Technically this Banjo is still very reparable and playable and I would not consider it a parts instrument. It would take me several days to fix it up to play but since I am a guitar player/ repair person and not a banjo player I am not going to work on it to get it ready to play. But if looking for an early instrument with some extras this is as close to early playable as you can get.

Comes with an old fabric soft shell case that was mis-shapened by water damp some time ago.