I've seen some fantastic pearl inlay on fretboards, but this is absolutely mesmerizing. There are several unique features on this banjo that have puzzled me to how 'custom' or even modified it may be. I am uncertain about the type of wood used for the ring, but it appears to be slightly darker than the neck.
It's an open back, 10' Dia body, with an Ebony fretboard and either Maple or Walnut (guess) neck. Through the years, it was passed down to several family members, one of whom was a regular on the Arthur Smith Radio Show on WBT Radio in Charlotte, NC in the early 1950's.
It was originally owned (as far back as I can trace, by word of mouth and one photograph to justify lineage) by my Great-Great-Great Grandmother in Western North Carolina. I am a recent recipient of a George Washburn 5 String Banjo.