Josephine Baker’s banjo mandolin

Special featured instrument:
Josephine Baker’s banjo mandolin, made in Paris c.1930, this wonderful piece of musical history arrived in our workshop for some minor restoration, and now brought back to fully playable condition.
Stained sycamore neck, ebony fingerboard, dot inlays, scroll peghead with abalone bordered pearl plaque engraved ‘JB’, mahogany veneered ‘zither banjo’ style rim with 2 coloured wood side bands, back of rim has amazing marquetry picture of Josephine herself, dancing in feather skirt.
Complete with original hardshell fitted case, which is finished in faux wood graining.
One of two banjos acquired from her estate after her death in 1975 (the other is a tenor banjo).
Check out her Wiki life story here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Baker