Vintage Antique Geo.Washburn Lyon and Healy banjo and HSC

Description

Antique Vintage George Washburn Banjo with Guardian Case, Framed Advertisement
The Washburn Company began as a partnership between George Washburn Lyon and Patrick Healy. Formed in Chicago, Illinois, they began building stringed instruments in 1883. The Lyon and Healy brand name still appears on harps made in Chicago and Washburn (George Lyon's middle name) is also a current brand name for musical instruments. This is a Chicago-made open back five string banjo by George Washburn/ Lyon and Healy with 24 "Emperial style" ball-shaped brackets, a spun-over (nickel-plated brass) rim and an exquisite neck heel carving demonstrating the skills of the time. The George Washburn trademark and serial number
2720 (dating it to the 1890's according to one source)
appear on the dowel stick. This Washburn has an 11″ Remo Fiberskyn head and it is easy to play (perfect for clawhammer) and has a bright yet full and sound (please watch the video).  Three of the nuts are antique but do not fully match the originals. The hooks fit into holes in the tension hoop instead of fitting into notches, over a groove on the hoop, or over the hoop itself as hooks on other banjos usually do.  There are four vintage Grover screw-adjusted friction tuners with grained ivoroid buttons in the headstock and a traditional screw-adjusted fifth string tuner with a newer grained ivoroid button. The Ebony heel cap has a white MOP heart inlayed in it. The proprietary original tailpiece attaches to the tension hoop with a small thumbscrew instead of being attached to a "hanger" which is threaded through a bracket screwed through the rim into the end of the dowel stick as on most old banjos. The Ebony fretboard and headstock overlay sport many large intricately-engraved MOP inlays.  There are ebony shims which fit between the inside of the rim and a cast brass brace on the dowel stick to make the neck/rim connection snug. The neck dowel has been reset and the top of the tension hoop filed down next to the fingerboard to allow the strings to have the excellent lower action preferred by modern banjo players. There is a thin brass shim beween the end of the fingerboard and the tension hoop which is there to help maintain the favorable neck angle. The strings are about 1/8" above the top of the highest fret with a 5/8" height bridge. The frets are in good condition.  The headstock, fretboard and neck heel have a Maple/Ebony or black/white underlay. Overall, this is a very fine old banjo which shows some wear and is in remarkably fine condition.
The case is a recent Guardian deluxe archtop with green crushed velvet interior and a comfortably padded leather handle.  There is a matching approx. 1" thick round green crushed velvet pillow which fits snugly under the back of the banjo rim so that the neck rests easily in the holder beside the accessory compartment.
As an added bonus, I am including a 19th-century Washburn magazine advertisement which has been mounted under glass and placed in a 6"x8" picture frame (see the photos).
Measurements (approx.): 25-3/4"scale,  1-1/4" bone nut, 12" total width at the pot, 2-1/2"height/depth at the pot, 35" overall length, old 5/8" Grover bridge, string height 1/8" at the highest fret.
I will ship the banjo in a padded sturdy carton in its hard shell case with the bridge taken down and the strings loosened.  Insurance and a signature at delivery will be required. The cost of insured shipping will be a flat rate of .00 for the contiguous 48 states and actual cost elsewhere; please inquire for a shipping cost estimate if you'd like to know in advance of buying.
Local pickup is free if the banjo has already been paid for via PayPal. I have tried to give an accurate and detailed description; I will be pleased to answer any question you have about the listing. Thank you for reading the entire description.