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When I saw this during a visit to Boston I posted a picture of it on my Facebook page.

My friends came to the consensus that it looks like a toilet seat!

They are an ignorant, ignorant bunch.

And here I thought those metal thingies were an arm rest that got out of control.  Your friends might be right. A banjo that comes with a toilet seat. What a concept. Maybe it detaches easily.  Anywhere the player may go with this banjo there will always be an available toilet seat. Just what everyone needed and never thought of.  Speaking of which it has been many decades since I've scene a banjo variation of the guitoilet (a guitar or banjo neck attached to a toilet seat, strung up and playable).

Russ Chandler said:

When I saw this during a visit to Boston I posted a picture of it on my Facebook page.

My friends came to the consensus that it looks like a toilet seat!

They are an ignorant, ignorant bunch.

Jim Bollman is the expert on this Consalvi banjo.  He even has Consalvi's tool chest filled with his stuff (it is pretty cool).

The patent arm rest thing was produced at one point (because Jim has some of them) but I doubt many were made (the only ones I have seen were Jim's or on this banjo).

Consalvi toured this banjo around and entered it into Expositions and trade fairs and it got a fair mount of press ink.

I won't tell his story for him, but he knew about the banjo long before he found that the family still had it.

Maybe it's actually a Clawhammer Preventer disguised as a double-barrel arm rest. OR, maybe the idea is that if you want to turn the banjo upside down and play lefty you'll still have an armrest. Seriously, I can't figure out why there is arm rest over the leg. It's not a leg rest so why is it there?

Joel Hooks said:

Jim Bollman is the expert on this Consalvi banjo.  He even has Consalvi's tool chest filled with his stuff (it is pretty cool).

The patent arm rest thing was produced at one point (because Jim has some of them) but I doubt many were made (the only ones I have seen were Jim's or on this banjo).

Consalvi toured this banjo around and entered it into Expositions and trade fairs and it got a fair mount of press ink.

I won't tell his story for him, but he knew about the banjo long before he found that the family still had it.

If you read his patent here:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US568297A

(download the PDF and read the original)

He claims that it is a resonate ring that reflects the sound or vibrations from the head to the center or something. 

So, it is not really an armrest, but rather a resonator thingy. 

Ah!  I see.   Yes it would do that. Might sound good too. 

Thanks, Joel. 

jody

Joel Hooks said:

If you read his patent here:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US568297A

(download the PDF and read the original)

He claims that it is a resonate ring that reflects the sound or vibrations from the head to the center or something. 

So, it is not really an armrest, but rather a resonator thingy. 

It's certainly a work of art but what does it sound like and how does it play?..Steve.

My wife attended a lecture at the MFA years ago where she heard Geoff Freed (I think) play it.  She said it sounded like a banjo, but was not set up.  She told me that Geoff had put little baseball stickers on the side of the neck so that he could find his way around it. 

I don't think these types of banjos were really meant to be played, same with "presentation" banjos.  This one was built to enter into tradeshow contests, made as an exposition piece.  Think of it as a really high end, one off, sports concept car.

I've seen it in person.  It is nicely displayed, but it is not really my thing. I'm not big on fancy banjos. 

Steve Harrison said:

It's certainly a work of art but what does it sound like and how does it play?..Steve.

Hi Joel, I agree, too much bling for my liking. My most favourite banjo and the one I play the most is my Weaver. I've cleaned it up and re-fretted it but apart from that it's in original condition, warts and all. For a plain banjo that's 120 years old, the sound it produces is amazing yet someone with an uneducated eye probably wouldn't give it a second look..Steve

Joel Hooks said:

My wife attended a lecture at the MFA years ago where she heard Geoff Freed (I think) play it.  She said it sounded like a banjo, but was not set up.  She told me that Geoff had put little baseball stickers on the side of the neck so that he could find his way around it. 

I don't think these types of banjos were really meant to be played, same with "presentation" banjos.  This one was built to enter into tradeshow contests, made as an exposition piece.  Think of it as a really high end, one off, sports concept car.

I've seen it in person.  It is nicely displayed, but it is not really my thing. I'm not big on fancy banjos. 

Steve Harrison said:

It's certainly a work of art but what does it sound like and how does it play?..Steve.

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