Circa 1890s
Old "Comet" Banjo
© Frank Ford, 2001; Photos by FF

Well, I must admit I hadn't expected to run into another "Comet" banjo. This one is clearly no relation to George Thayer's patented Comet I put in the Museum in Februrary 1999, and I'm sorry to say I don't know a thing about its provenance. I really like the celestial inlay motif, so I couldn't resist adding this banjo. Until I get some better information, I'll just call this one the Old Comet, even though it could also be 1910 vintage and commemorative of Halley's Comet. It is clearly a more "primitive" style that seems more typical of the decade before 1900.

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