H.C. Dobson 6-string banjo Circa 1882
Henry Dobson was without a doubt the most innovative of the Dobson brothers when it came to banjo design. This early banjo carries both the 1878 and 1881 patent stamps, and has 5 strings tied to the peghead and a sixth in the usual fifth string position five frets up the neck. This configuration was not all that uncommon on Dobson banjos (Tsumura's book shows two 6-string Dobson banjos and a 7-string). The metal cover at the rim end of the fingerboard is cast with the remaining frets, something I had not seen previously on a Dobson banjo. Note the interesting early rim hardware on the inside of the rim.