Unusual String Winder

[George Roberts]

Can anybody help identify this tuner?

It has an 1890 - 1900 look about it.  Bone knob held on by the washer and peened over stem.

When the knurled brass knob is pulled out, it disengages the gear from the worm and allows the string to be wound by turning the brass knob.  I'm guessing that it predates electric winders.

It has "PAT'D" stamped on it, but no date. 

As a single tuner it might have been for a 5th string on a banjo.

In the remote past, it seems to me that I had a plate with 3 of these on one side (half a guitar set).  Never found the other half.

Any ideas?

George

[Paul Verticchio]

They're unknown to me BUT...they're works of art!!!!!  They're beautiful.

Looking forward to more info.

THANKS for posting (:

[Alexander López]

What a beautiful piece of engineering! This is the very definition of Steampunk!

[Paul Verticchio]

"This is the very definition of Steampunk!"

EXACTLY, Alexander !!!!!!!  (-:

[Eric Steven Johansen]

Frank probably knows more about these than any of us but I've always thought these were made by Jerome in the 1860's or 70's. I've seen three on a plate versions of these on several American and French parlors from that era. Beautiful to behold and so Victorian in design. Love it. 

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Unknow and sweet!

[George Roberts]

While looking up info on Bruno guitars, I found this picture:

http://www.cjelliottmusic.com/1.jpg

These were on a Bruno guitar, and the accompanying text said that they had a patent date of 9/22/1874.

The patent was U.S. Patent 155352 granted to Hiram White.

George