The Viking

Wood: Old Birch (reclaimed submerged wood), with rosewood and maple binding.

Features: The inlays are made from silver, gold, mother of pearl, several varieties of wood, and abalone shell. The metal parts are engraved into bead blasted metal parts and then plated with nickel before they are finished with a super hard titanium nitride gold colored coating that should last for decades. All the artwork, including the heel carving, is a replication of genuine Viking art. Geoff Stelling began this project in 1989 during a trip to visit his Swedish dealer, Sture Svaren in Lerum. With Geoff's photocopies of artifacts and Viking art found in the Gothenburg Library in Sweden (with many thanks to Sture Svaren) and other artwork found by Brian Calhoun in the Library of Washington and Lee University in Virginia, all the material was compiled from which the final inlay pattern was designed on the Viking banjo. Brian Calhoun used his own artistic genius to create several of the inlay patterns in certain fret positions, but it was all derived from the Vikings and their unique art. This banjo is a one-of-a-kind, and others can be created like it to also be one-of-a-kind.

Price: $45,000

Options: Plating, engraving and other options available. All models feature the Tony Pass 600TS Old Wood Rim and a deluxe TKL emerald green crushed velvet plush lined case. Left-handed, tenor, or plectrum versions of most models are available. Deluxe versions of the Crusader, Master's Cross, Red Fox, SwallowTail and Virginian (all with special engraving patterns unique to each model) are available with custom plating upon request.

To purchase please contact us directly for custom banjos.

To purchase this custom banjo, please contact:

Stelling Banjo Works
7258 Banjo Lane
Afton, Virginia 22920
Ph. (434) 295-1917,
or (800) 5-STRING.
Tel. hours are Mon.-Thurs. 9AM-4PM.
Email: stelling@stellingbanjo.com

To purchase other banjo models, please consult our Authorized Dealer List.