G. H. Daniels 5-string fretless banjo, Circa 1870's
Little is known about G. H. Daniels, but we do know he is not the same person as the better known British banjo maker, Joe Daniels. He was obviously a creative and artistic maker if this example is typical of his work. Note the artistic form of the peghead and fifth-string cutout areas, along with the beautiful painted marquetry vine on the fingerboard. The rim features a metal bracket band of triangular form, and the rim hardware is the typical bent-hook, square-nut hardware found on banjos from the 1870's. The usual wood dowel stick has been replaced with a metal rod. The only place where Daniels' name appears is on the tailpiece, which is obviously of his design. A real find.
