WS15-8

Fairbanks                        Regent                        5 String

 

S/N- 20890            1901                10 3/4 x 26"                        5 1/4 lb.

 

Fully original.

 

Condition: Mint.

 

Background: After his split with Cole, in addition to un-designated models and continuing some he made with Cole, Fairbanks soon introduced 4 new models lacking the Electric tone ring..

 

Features of this model: The next step up from the Senator was the Regent which may have started about 1897 and also had a full spun pot. Early Regents had inlays very similar to Electrics No. 0 and No. 1 and dark necks. With the introduction of the Whyte-Laydie line in 1901, they were changed to maple necks finished naturally without stain. Pegheads and boards were inlaid like the W. L. No. 2 but the pots lacked the W. L. tone rings and bracket bands. This was Faurbanks’ top model without the Electric or W. L. tone rings.

 

About this instrument:

1) Ex-Bollman Collection.

2) First year of issue with the blond neck.

3) Superbly engraved.

4) Both the petite star at the top of the peghead and the slightly larger one in the 5th fret are noticeably smaller than those usually seen on Fairbanks banjos.

5) Possibly the finest known pre-fire Regent.        

6) Quite uncommon (perhaps rare) variety of patent metal tuners.  In profile, the 4 tuners in the peghead resemble the shape of nuclear reactors and (in tiny part) all 4 of their celluloid knobs are stamped "Pat. Apr. 30, '85"   

 

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