Medicine Show, 1862.

[Carl Anderton]

http://books.google.com/books?id=E-MRAAAAYAAJ&dq=capitol%20banj...

Here is an article (lower right side) about a man selling a "patented tooth polish" in Indiana in 1862, entertaining the crowd by singing and playing on the banjo.  I had always thought of the "medicine show" as a somewhat later thing, I guess I was wrong.  An interesting example of a public performance on the banjo minus the cork.

[Bell Banjos]

Pretty cool, I gotta get a goods box and some gum soap.

[Paul Draper]

Like I've always said, there are tens of dollars to be made playing the banjo!  Why, I've made over 40$ this year alone, and that's without tooth polish!