Banjo created for Charles P. Stinson: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

An open-back five-string banjo created for Charles P. Stinson. Four tuning pegs made from molded resin are attached to the peghead. The tuning pegs are decorated with seven curving lines carved on each side and a decorative ridge. Another tuning peg appears halfway up banjo's neck. The frets on the neck are inlaid with mother of pearl. Several of the frets are missing as well as the bridge of the banjo. Some of these pieces can be found in the banjo’s case (2018.83.2). The bottom of the neck near the head of the banjo on the scoop is a mother of pearl inlay in the shape of a star. The banjo’s head is held to the round frame using twenty-nine shoes and nuts. A single metal string is attached to the peghead and head. Handwritten on the back of the banjo’s head near the heel of the neck is “Sliver.” It has a metal tension hoop and a wooden dowel stick. Engraved on the dowel stick is “C. P. STINSON PGH. PA.”

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: late19th century
• Manufactured by: John H. Buckbee, American, 1832 - 1897
• Subject of: Charles P. Stinson, American, 1854 - 1911
• Type: banjos
• Medium: wood, metal, calfskin, resin, mother of pearl
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 35 1/16 × 12 × 2 3/4 in. (89 × 30.5 × 7 cm)
• Place made: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place used: Pittsburgh, Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Education
• Topic: Folk (Music)
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Minstrel (Music)
• Topic: Popular music
• Topic: Theatre
• Topic: Vaudeville
• Object number: 2018.83.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Clark and Sarah Case Family
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.