The Unknown Banjo

Here again, I will illustrate the importance of getting there early.  I was about to leave this sale empty handed when I saw more stuff for sale on the front porch.  There was this banjo there, and I opened the case to look at it.

Before I go on, I have to confess that I know nothing about banjos.  However, I do know that quality instruments hold their value, and as soon as I picked this up, I noticed that it was heavy, it had mother of pearl inlay on the neck, and beautiful wood inlay on the back.  The instrument was in very good condition.  There was a second banjo there, but it was missing screws and the neck was loose.  I passed on that, even for $5, it probably would have been more trouble than it was worth. 

I asked how much, and she said, "30 bucks".  Normally I like to haggle a bit, but when the price is really good, and there are other people at the sale, sometimes it is best to just pay the asking price and complete the deal before someone else offers full price (or more).

The maker of this instrument is still unknown, I could not find a manufacturer name, only the logo on the headstock.  It came with the case, and it had two sets of finger picks, some spare strings, and an old songbook.

I listed it on Craigslist for $200, and it was gone the same evening.  I had 3 responses within the first 3 hours, which makes me think I should have listed it for $300.  Oh well, I'll just cry all the way to the bank.