I invited this Banjolele as part of a "Job Lot" along with a Yeuqin. Truth to tell it was really the Yeuqin I was after but getting a Banjolele as well is always a bonus especially as I don't recognise the headstock? With only 6 brackets I don't think its American and I don't think it's British. My best guess is its German from the early 30's. From what I can see it needs a bridge, probably new strings and maybe even new tuners?
It's arrived now and is, as I suspected, German, (it says so on the tailpiece), and with only 6 brackets it was probably originally a little budget. Also on the tailpiece is the brand name of Rima, (not one I have come across before?) Ah ha, you may say that could just be the tailpiece branding, and it might, but given the way it is moulded for, and tacked onto the rim, I sure it was put on as part of the manufacturing process.
I can see now that it is a little worse for wear too. It needs a new vellum as well as the new bridge, new strings and new tuners, (the current ones are a mismatched set of push pegs; and I don't like push pegs!) I had already seen. It could also use a strip down to try and straighten some of the brackets, and to clean/re-varnish(?) the pot.