Banjo Mandolin (Banjolin) with Original Hard Case

A Voice from Another Era

Rare, resonant, and beautifully preserved — this antique banjo mandolin, or banjolin, is a remarkable survivor from the golden age of parlour music. Crafted in the United Kingdom circa 1920, it combines the bright, percussive voice of the banjo with the intimate scale of the mandolin, producing a sound that is entirely its own: crisp, warm, and deeply evocative of the era that created it.

The body is constructed from flamed maple wood with a genuine skin vellum (calfskin) head — a detail that speaks to the instrument's age and authenticity. The resonator back, also in flamed maple, adds both projection and visual drama, its figuring catching the light with a natural lustre that no modern laminate can replicate. Eight strings, right-handed, and in playable condition for the experienced musician.

Presented with its original shaped hard shell case — itself a piece of history — this is an exceptional find for the serious collector, musician, or lover of antique objects with a story to tell.

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