Can anyone identify my new banjo?

[SWCooper]

Two weeks ago, I'd never heard of a zither banjo. I spotted one in the window of an auction house and thought, "what the heck...?" So I Googled around until I learned a bit more.

 

Had. To. Have. One.

 

As luck would have it, when I tried the keywords on eBay, there was only one listed -- and the auction was just closing, and it was a beauty. Nipped in and got it (at a very good price, I think) and it arrived this morning.

 

So...who the heck made it? I've scrolled through pages of Google images without finding a similarly carved pot. I've put some photos in an album. Would any particular other shots be helpful?

[Sylvia]

From one SW to another, Hi nice to have another female aboard.  I can't help identifying your banjo. which looks a beauty, but try www.zitherbanjo .org   you may find some info there.

from   SWH.

[SWCooper]

Thanks for the welcome, Sylvia. My dad did some banjo tuition in the '60s. He wrote at the time that the banjo was a quintessentially masculine instrument.

 

I wish I could say I made him eat his words, but...not really.

[Sylvia]

Hi SW.  Classic and Minstrel Banjo.ning  would seem to bear out your Dads comment about the Banjo being a masculine istrument, hardly any women on either site, so I hope you will stay and help  prove him wrong   : )