A 5 string banjo by one of the England's best makers, J G Abbott.

Abbott produced open back banjos from 1890 -1936.  As well as selling under his own name he made instrument for Barnes and Mullins, Will van Allen and a number of other teachers and sellers. 

He used the name Mirabile  for his 5 string banjos and had a graded numbering for quality one being lowest 2 and 3 being higher. The grading seems to apply to the amount of decoration applied to the instrument as all his instruments are well made. 

This instrument has a mahogany neck (arm), ebony finger board, head stock and heel facing overlay.

The offset geared tuners tuners were made by Waverly and predate their orbital tuners the friction 5th string tuner appears to be original.

There is a white wood rim (maple or ash?)  which is finished in a dark walnut brown french polish and is spun over with nickel plated brass it has matching set of original shoes nuts and hooks, arm rest and  tailpiece screwed on to the tension hoop (stretcher band).  The metal work is all superior nickel plated and apart from a small are mark made by a strap hook the is very little brass visible through the plating.

Strung with nylgut light gauge classic banjo strings, the head is a calf skin Jos Rogers Jn 1st quality.

Serial number on the neck is 5059