Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Baystate Presentation Banjo

ca. 1890-1895
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 681
Boston maker John C. Haynes produced several of the most ornate banjos of the 1890s. This presentation banjo (custom made with extra decoration) has a mahogany neck with a carved heel and ivory binding. Haynes added engraved pearl decoration inlayed on the front and back of the headstock, heel cap, and along the fingerboard. Wook marquetry decorates the interior of the German-silver clad rim.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Baystate Presentation Banjo
  • Maker: John C. Haynes & Co. (Boston, Massachusetts)
  • Date: ca. 1890-1895
  • Geography: United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Calfskin head, various woods (including ebony), metal hardware and cladding over rim, mother of pearl and abalone inlays, nylon strings, metal tuning pegs with ivoroid buttons, ivory fingerboard binding and ivory nut
  • Dimensions: 33-1/2” L x 2-1/4” D x 11-1/4” diameter
  • Classification: Musical instruments
  • Object Number: 2026.448.2
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Powder Horn, Horn (cow), lead, American
Powder Horn
American
18th century
“Lady Stewart #3” 5-string banjo, Samuel Swain Stewart American, Calfskin head, various woods (including ebony), metal hardware and cladding over rim, mother of pearl and abalone inlays, ebony fingerboard, nylon strings, ivory tuning pegs, ivory tail piece ornament and ebony nut, American
“Lady Stewart #3” 5-string banjo
Samuel Swain Stewart
ca. 1890-1891
Ennanga, Ganda, Wood, vegetal fiber, snake skin, hide, Ganda people
Ennanga
Culture Ganda
19th century
Figured bottle, Blown-molded glass, American
Figured bottle
American
1850–60
5-string Banjo, Fairbanks & Cole, Calfskin head, various woods (including ebony), metal hardware, mother of pearl and abalone inlays, gut strings, ivory tuners, ivory nut, ivory tailpiece and ivory flush frets, American
5-string Banjo
Fairbanks & Cole
ca 1880-1890

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.