I know that old Stewarts sound good, but I've just got to say this (re - the blue clicky link) that's a really garish headstock & neck !!!

I've seen several old banjos lately that a local collector has and it seems that there was a period in the 1870's to 1890's when the inlay work was very, um, well, "busy". The more mother of pearl, or whatever, in whatever shape, that could be stuck on the neck, the better. Circles and squares, like on the above banjo, seemed to be the favorite. It reminds me of the old "find the Popes in the pizza," skits on Saturday Night Live TV !

Has anyone ever done a treatise on the development of the art of inlay patterns or traced them historically ? If so, please reference.