Resonator banjo-ukulele
Maker
May Bell
(trade name of Slingerland Banjo & Drum Company)
Date1930-1940 ca.
Place MadeChicago, Illinois, United States, North America
ModelMay Bell
SignedGold and black decal: May- / BellBranded into dowel stick, enclosed in line with rounded ends: SLINGERLAND
Markings“Betty Boop” logo and character painted on head: BETTY BOOP / [painted figure]
Stamped onto underside of calf-skin head: CLIFFORD ESS[EX] / MUSIC CO. LTD. / [oval stamp surrounding illegible worn-away text] / SUPERIOR EXTRA WARRAN[TY]
Stamped onto bridge: BACON
DescriptionNeck: maple
Peghead: maple with walnut veneer; four tuning pegs; (later) holographic American flag sticker above signature text
Fingerboard: walnut; 16 nickel-silver T-frets; (later) holographic silver dot stickers behind 5th, 7th, and 12th frets
Heel cap: none
Head: calf skin; metal flesh hoop; painted image of Betty Boop in white, red, green, and black ink
Tone ring: none
Rim: laminated maple with bird’s-eye-maple veneer; edge stained brown
Bracket hooks: 12 nickel-plated steel; some replaced
Shoes: 12 nickel-plated steel
Tension hoop: nickel-plated steel
Resonator: maple with birds-eye maple veneer; thin ebony stripe runs around circumference of rim; attached to dowel stick with a nickel-plated brass screw through the middle
Armrest: nickel-plated brass
Nut: rosewood
Tuners: 4 nickel-plated steel and nickel-plated brass tension pegs with ivory-plastic heads
Tailpiece: nickel-plated steel
Finish: clear lacquer
DimensionsTotal instrument length: 522 mm (20-9/16”)
Vibrating string length: 340 mm (13-3/8”)
Fingerboard length: 213.5 mm (8-13/32”)
Fingerboard width at nut: 31 mm (1-7/32”)
Fingerboard width at body: 41 mm (1-5/8”)
Head diameter: 175 mm (6-7/8”)
Resonator diameter: 226 mm (8-29/32”)
Rim and resonator depth: 89 mm (3-1/2”)
Credit LineGeoffrey Robert Rezek Collection, 2015
Object number14968
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