The Fairbanks Vega Co. in Boston cranked out a bunch of these in the early twenties. I see them from time to time as low as $200. I got mine for less as it needed some repair to the neck. I think they offered three types. Mine is the model "S" which has the famed tubaphone tone ring. Nope, you unscrupulous banjo converters that want to slap a five string neck on it, ye can't have it. It's great fun rattling off fiddle tunes with a banjo sound.

Rex