Teed Six-String Banjo

Object Details

Description

This banjo was made by George Teed of New York, New York around 1862. It is a Six-String Banjo, with 17 frets, 8 brackets with a brass hoop, and resonator made from rosewood veneer with inlaid design. The brass hoop is etched:

George Teed
[ ] 8th 1862

This banjo features U. S. Patent #34913 dated April 8, 1862, by George Teed for an improvement in banjos.

Teed is listed in the New York City directory from 1860-1861 as a turner with a home address of 497 E. Houston. Like many craftsmen in the woodworking trades, Teed may have made banjos as a secondary business.

This early commercial banjo has top-tensioning screws to adjust the tightness of the head and a closed back resonator body designed to project the sound outwards towards the audience. Like similar mid-century banjos patented by Henry Dobson, it may have been actually made by the Buckbee company of New York.

Location

Currently not on view

Data Source

National Museum of American History

maker

Teed, George

date made

1862

Credit Line

GIft of Roger D. Abrahams

Physical Description

wood (overall material)

metal (overall material)

animal skin (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 35 1/4 in x 11 3/4 in x 2 1/2 in; 89.535 cm x 29.845 cm x 6.35 cm

Object Name

banjo