Wow! With a 13 7/8" head and internal resonator, this is the King of Tenors! If you need to be heard (in a large Irish session or a Dixieland band), THIS is your banjo. Favilla made banjos for only a few years, circa 1921-1924, in New York City. The pot is veneered in Brazilian rosewood to match the neck. The frets are in mint shape. The tailpiece is a repro Waverly. Nice floral bouquet inlay on the headstock and the cap on the back of the internal resonator is maple. The head may be original; a fine Amrawco calfskin in pristine shape. I've set it up to play beautifully, replacing the friction tuners with a period-correct set of original Grover pancake geared machine heads. Recently fully restored by Renee Karnes.
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From Thomas Favilla email correspondance:"Not too much I can tell you on the banjo's. My grandfather (John) and his brother (Joseph) were very prolific builders, but kept nearly non-exsistant records on production. When it comes to banjo's, every year I come accross models I haven't seen before. They built most of them between 1890 and 1929."
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