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

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????????????????

Views: 968

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

.... and Lower:

Hopefully, soon the postage will be more than the banjo ;-)

...and lower

Actually, I did report this one to Ebay - this has backfired as now I am getting 'PRICE LOWERED - be quick!' emails whenever the price is lowered!  Not - quite - tempted.  

That is funny, Carrie ;-) 

This is what we get for sticking our noses in !!

:-)

I have had endless amusement returning repeatedly to this site, especially the prices for zither-banjos from Our American Friends.  For the record, the famous banjo rescued by Ernest Shackleton as the Endurance was breaking-up and now at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is a Windsor 'Popular' Model 5, and if you don't believe me you can always book an appointment to see it.  Also, I get tired of reading that this banjo weighed 12 pounds.  Don't be ridiculous!  Just weigh a similar model and see for yourself.

The late, great, and still sorely missed David Wade must have been quoting out of context when he refers to Hussey's banjo as '...a low end Dallas -sort of zb...' because he would presumably have known the difference between a Dallas and a Windsor.  My information is that it was the following expedition when Hussey took along a Dallas, the one when Shackleton died.  This of course is not the famous one in the Maritime Museum.

Black Jake of Norwich, England,  



Jake Glanville said:

I have had endless amusement returning repeatedly to this site,'

Which site? This banjo forum or eBay?

especially the prices for zither-banjos from Our American Friends.'

When a zither-banjo  sells in America for a higher price that it would fetch in the UK this should be understandable as these banjos are not ubiquitous in the USA. Relative rarity is one factor.  Another is the cost of shipping and possible customs duty.   But this "Shackleton banjo" on Ebay is not one of these.

This outrageously priced banjo with a claim to a Shackleton connection, but not to Hussey, is in England. The banjo is said to be in London. I presume the seller is British, not American.

Thanks, Jody, for putting me right on that one.  However, apart from that particular example, all the really outrageous prices I've seen regarding ZB's have been in the States.  I just don't like to see anyone being ripped off, especially American ZB enthusiasts.  (They're a rare breed!)  I've picked up top of the line ZB's in the UK for well below $100 US and I hope our American friends realise just how inexpensive they are over here.

Best Wishes,

BJ.



Jody Stecher said:



Jake Glanville said:

I have had endless amusement returning repeatedly to this site,'

Which site? This banjo forum or eBay?

especially the prices for zither-banjos from Our American Friends.'

When a zither-banjo  sells in America for a higher price that it would fetch in the UK this should be understandable as these banjos are not ubiquitous in the USA. Relative rarity is one factor.  Another is the cost of shipping and possible customs duty.   But this "Shackleton banjo" on Ebay is not one of these.

This outrageously priced banjo with a claim to a Shackleton connection, but not to Hussey, is in England. The banjo is said to be in London. I presume the seller is British, not American.

In years and decades past in England I've  seen  ZBs in antique shops and junk shops and car boot sales that were under £100 and whose price could often be bargained down. But these were typically bottom-of-the-line Windsors.  

I certainly paid a lot more than $100 for my Abbott Amboyna (from UK seller) and a Cammeyer Vibrante Royal (from an American seller). But I see  similar  prices now from UK sellers. A Camm Vibrante recently sold for £1000.\

So why single out Americans?  

Over the years I've bought mid-level  ZBs from British sellers for £300 and £400 and £500. These were all in perfect condition. 

Apparently I bought from the wrong dealers. I'm too old to be acquiring instruments but if there really is a  Windsor #1 in perfect working order with the original gold fittings and pearl buttons etc, for under $100 I Want It!

I'd be even more excited to find a Cammeyer Patent ZB that does not need extensive cosmetic repair, and for any fair price.  I think this is a contender for the most beautiful banjo model ever made. But it seems that the  different veneer woods and decorative celluloid.....and the glue too..... have each dried and shrunk at its own rate, causing... well, a mess.

Jake Glanville said:

Thanks, Jody, for putting me right on that one.  However, apart from that particular example, all the really outrageous prices I've seen regarding ZB's have been in the States.  I just don't like to see anyone being ripped off, especially American ZB enthusiasts.  (They're a rare breed!)  I've picked up top of the line ZB's in the UK for well below $100 US and I hope our American friends realise just how inexpensive they are over here.

Best Wishes,

BJ.



Jody Stecher said:



Jake Glanville said:

I have had endless amusement returning repeatedly to this site,'

Which site? This banjo forum or eBay?

especially the prices for zither-banjos from Our American Friends.'

When a zither-banjo  sells in America for a higher price that it would fetch in the UK this should be understandable as these banjos are not ubiquitous in the USA. Relative rarity is one factor.  Another is the cost of shipping and possible customs duty.   But this "Shackleton banjo" on Ebay is not one of these.

This outrageously priced banjo with a claim to a Shackleton connection, but not to Hussey, is in England. The banjo is said to be in London. I presume the seller is British, not American.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

© 2025   Created by thereallyniceman.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service