Tenor banjo
Trade Name
Rex Professional
(trade name of Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company)
Date1920-1930 ca.
Place MadeNew York, New York, United States, North America
ModelRex Professional
Serial No.none
SignedGold decal with black text on dowel stick: * REX * / PROFESSIONALMarkingsStamped onto bridge: GROVER
Stamped into tailpiece: KERSHNER / “UNIQUE” / PATENTED 5-9-16
Stamped onto back of calf-skin head, in cursive text: Jos B. Rogers
DescriptionNeck: maple; 3-ply walnut/maple/walnut center stripe
Peghead: maple with dark brown hardwood veneer on either side; small mother-of-pearl decoratively shaped inlay on face
Fingerboard: dark-brown-stained maple with ivory celluloid binding; 18 nickel-silver bar frets; single dot mother-of-pearl inlays behind 3rd and 12th frets; diamond-shaped mother-of-pearl inlay behind 5th fret; double dot mother-of-pearl inlay behind 7th fret; double slotted diamond mother-of-pearl inlay behind 10th fret; player-made position dots on ivory-celluloid binding
Heel cap: dark brown hardwood, face painted black
Head: calf skin
Tone ring: nickel-plated brass arch-top
Rim: multi-ply hardwood with maple outer veneer and beech inner veneer; three-ply walnut-maple-walnut covering lower edge
Bracket hooks: 20 nickel-plated steel [2 are missing]
Shoes: 20 nickel-plated brass
Tension hoop: nickel-plated brass
Resonator: none
Dowel stick: maple
Nut: dark brown hardwood
Tuners: 4 nickel-plated brass tension tuners, three with ivory plastic heads, one with ivoroid head
Tailpiece: nickel-plated brass [not original – for 5-string banjo]
Finish: clear lacquer
DimensionsTotal instrument length: 741 mm (29-5/32”)
Vibrating string length: 517 mm (20-11/32”)
Fingerboard length: 364 mm (14-11/32”)
Fingerboard width at nut: 29 mm (1-1/8”)
Fingerboard width at body: 38.5 mm (1-17/32”)
Head diameter: 254 mm (10”)
Rim depth: 64 mm (2-17/32”)
Fingerboard width at body joint: 3.9 cm (1 17/32 inches)
ProvenanceArne B. Larson Collection, Vermillion, South Dakota, 1979.
Credit LineArne B. Larson Collection, 1979
Object number03877
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