Vintage Ernest Shackleton 1914 Banjo on EBAY UK ?????????

[thereallyniceman]

Ebay link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Ernest-Shackleton-1914-Banjo/282...

Quote:

Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Banjo

Original Antarctic Banjo and Case, limited edition made for the celebration of Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition to the Antartic in 1914 he would play his banjo to keep up moral.

This beautiful Banjo from 1914 belonged to my Grandad and is in very good condition still in original case with brochure and stringed.

The auctioneer has said he has not seen another banjo like this and is very unique.

£4,495 for an old zither banjo????????????????

[Jody Stecher]

How does one begin to unravel the tangles here? Shackleton did not play the banjo! Hussey did,  Hussey's banjo was a Windsor, not a Shackleton Brand banjo!  . There * is *a Shackleton commemorative  banjo but I think it is a 21st century open back thing. And Hussey's banjo last time I checked was in The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.  It is a higher model than the eBay item.  It and its photo is practically iconic. But somehow that same banjo belonged to the seller's grandfather. Hmmm.... This is reminding me of the Jen You Wine Skull Of Pancho Villa.  This very morning I was reading about the Shackleton expedition. The idea that Ernest Shackleton was himself a banjo player makes me laugh. Sure, he got in and amongst the crew and he did not hold back from engaging in menial tasks.  But a ship's commander serenading the crew c. 1914 is more than I can wrap my mind around.

[thereallyniceman]

So, Shackleton played the banjo to improve moral eh?

 I guess that would be a little like:

"The floggings will continue until moral improves"  

Either the seller is an idiot, the auctioneer is an idiot or they both are!  I hope that a buyer isn't !

[Jody Stecher]

Well....actually..... Shackleton personally retrieved Hussey's banjo from the pile of Things Left Behind That Would Add Unwanted Weight, as he considered its musical power to be Vital Mental Medicine. From Hussey's own account:

It was shortly after leaving the ship that I heard Shackleton calling for me. “ I found something of yours. I’ve dumped it over there with the food stores”. “What’s that, sir?”, I asked. “Your banjo” replied Shackleton. “It’s rather heavy”, I said dubiously, “do you think we ought to take it?”. “Yes, certainly”, was the chief’s prompt answer. “It’s vital mental medicine and we shall need it”

But then again if it were Shackleton himself playing the banjo, yes indeed it probably would be like floggings. 

thereallyniceman said:

So, Shackleton played the banjo to improve moral eh?

 I guess that would be a little like:

"The floggings will continue until moral improves"  

Either the seller is an idiot, the auctioneer is an idiot or they both are!  I hope that a buyer isn't !

[thereallyniceman]

How much lower does it have to go before it is a bargain???

[marc dalmasso]

nobody mention the reasonable price of the shipping ........................

[David Wade]

This is bull-shit!

As far as I know the Hussey Windsor is in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwhich which is where Leonard, after encouragement from HRH Duke of Edinburgh willed it.

Several people fought long and hard to make sure that it stayed put!

This z-b is nothing like the Windsor in the photo of Len.

[David Wade]

Pat Doyle has just confirmed that Len's banjo is in Greenwich. This looks like a low end Dallas - sort of z-b I put on the stall for £200.

Hey Ho!

Everyone a Stradivarius!

[Pat Doyle]

There was a legal battle some years ago over ownership of Leonard Hussey's 'signed' banjo, the one he took on the South Pole with Shackleton in 'Endurance' . Shackleton told Hussey to retrieve the banjo from the sinking ship as it

was "vital brain food".. Eventually the Martitime Museum purchased the banjo from Hussey's former housekeeper.

It had sat in the museum for some years on loan until the 'owner' realised its value. Hence the legal battle.

When Shackleton attempted a return to the South Pole on the Shackleton Rowettt Expedition, Hussey went too, this time with a Dallas banjo. Shackleton died of a heart attack on board ship and is buried on South Georgia.

Pat Doyle
 
David Wade said:

This is bull-shit!

As far as I know the Hussey Windsor is in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwhich which is where Leonard, after encouragement from HRH Duke of Edinburgh willed it.

Several people fought long and hard to make sure that it stayed put!

This z-b is nothing like the Windsor in the photo of Len.

[3pjtri8bytotl]

Pat,

I've never heard that detail of the story before, though for obvious reasons I find it fascinating. Where did you get the info that it was a Dallas?

Cheers,

John

Pat Doyle said:

When Shackleton attempted a return to the South Pole ... Hussey went too, this time with a Dallas banjo.
 

[Pat Doyle]

Dallas put an ad' in BMG in the twenties about Hussey's banjo on the Shackleton

Rowett expedition.

[thereallyniceman]

What??  Nobody has snapped up this bargain??

I see that the price has dropped again by another £1000....   only £2000  to go and then it will only be about £400 overpriced!

[marc dalmasso]