I've got one of these, Walking Eagle. It's called a banjo mandolin. I've heard that it was either developed by banjo makers trying to get part of the mandolin orchestra business, or a last attempt by mandolin makers to hop onto the "new" banjo fad. Mine was made in 1924, but they are still made by Goldtone and others. I use it for old-timey music. It's a bit more civilized in tone than a banjo, but that may be due to it's calf-skin head.