Bacon & Day Silver Bell No.1 Tenor Banjo, circa 1929 (serial 27043).
Silver Bells were Bacon & Day's high-end range of banjos in the jazz age and are widely considered to be some the top of the line in banjos, much like 1930-40s Martin Guitars are considered to be the standard of excellence in guitars. The No.1 style was made at the peak of banjo popularity and performance, using the best production methods and finest adornments. This particular banjo is no exception.
This B&D Silver Bell No.1 features 19 frets, 24 brackets, hand-cut f-scroll carvings decorating the silver-plated resonator flange, pearl floral inlays in the head, traditional pearl bow tie and snowflake inlays in the fret board, ebony finish on the fretboard, and dark stain finish on the other wood parts.
The 11" pot is made of metal and wood, which has historically been brass and maple or walnut woods. The metal armrest shows wear from play in the finish (pictured). The rim is in excellent condition. The transparent plastic head is in excellent shape with no wear or damage. The neck is perfectly aligned with correct action; it is in excellent shape and only shows wear from play in the finish (pictured). The finish on the back of the pot shows minimal wear in the finish but has some scratches (pictured).
This Silver Bell is well-maintained with original hardware (tailpiece, tuners, bar frets, mute lever, etc.). It also features wiring for amplification with a 1/8" input (aux cable, headphone jack size) with original maintenance notes from the installer. It comes in its original but refurbished case, which shows some signs of wear on the outer vinyl and in one area of the interior lid (pictured). The case has some stickers from my grandfather for the Folk Instruments Guild of America (FIGA) and the FIGA Silver Celebration of 1982 (pictured). This banjo has been in our family for over 60 years and has belonged to my grandfather, my father, and me.
SUMMARY
Brand: Bacon & Day
Model: Silver Bell No.1
Serial No: 27043
Body: Metal and Wood
Manufactured: 1929 in Groton, CT (USA)
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Listed | 9 months ago |
Condition | Very Good (Used) Very Good items may show a few slight marks or scratches but are fully functional and in overall great shape.Learn more |
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