c.1895 Fairbanks Regent Banjorine

The banjorine, tuned a fourth higher than a standard banjo, was a popular instrument in the parlor band and ensemble settings of the late 19th century, and this Fairbanks Regent Banjorine is a charming and historically genuine example of the format. Serial number 17096 places it around 1895, right in the middle of the parlor music era when instruments like this were a fixture in the drawing rooms of middle-class American homes.

The Regent grade is Fairbanks's mid-level appointment package: good-looking, well-built, and representative of the company's general quality standards without reaching into the premium tiers. The smaller body and higher tuning give the banjorine a bright, crisp, and penetrating tone that is immediately distinctive and quite appealing in solo or ensemble playing.

Very Good condition. A relatively rare format in a well-documented Fairbanks grade. An interesting and historically rich addition to any collection of 19th-century American fretted instruments.

Serial #17096

* The information presented here was collected from the estate of Marvin Rosenberg and independent research. It is accurate to the best of our ability.