Banjo (spike lute), circa 1920, probably made in London. The shell consists of an inner wooden tone ring onto which two outer metal rings are mounted. The head is tensioned by 29 (originally 30) threaded tensioning rods. The neck is of (rose?)wood surmounted by a band of lighter wood beneath the black wood fingerboard with 22 metal frets. The open back reveals the extension of the neck (the perch-pole) that traverses the body. 5 Ivory pegs. Four of the wire strings are pegged from the figure-of-eight shaped head, with a fifth string (thumb string) pegged from the neck at the fifth fret. A triangular stringholder secures the strings to the body. Wooden bridge.
