F. Besson 7-String Fretless Minstrel Banjo

On the back of the peghead is stamped F Besson London. Possibly in the mid to late 1800’s.

The pot is 12 inch and the vellum head is in perfect condition and who knows but it may be the original one the six carved tuning pegs look suspiciously like ivory.

With low tension nylon strings (that would have been gut) the pegs work surprisingly well although tuning it is still an acquired skill.

The extra two  low strings could have possibly be tuned one octave below the regular G and D strings.

To list this under folk and bluegrass was a bit of a stretch because it really is more of a musical instrument museum piece.

This is more likely a collectors banjo, minstrel music being not that popular these days. The only interesting info we could find online was this.

Prior to 1895, the Besson family was a substantial wind instrument making firm (F. Besson) with workshops in Paris and London (the London factory was at 100 Euston Road). In 1895 the London factory was sold to become Besson & Co. In 1933 Besson & Co took out a lease on the former Boosey factory in Stanhope Place.

No mention of banjos there.