From that great year of 1874…….or maybe just a wee bit later. H. W. White’s fabulous invention that, far as I can tell from the original US Patent Office description and drawings, was intended to be both a string-locking tuner (way ahead of its time) and a quick-wind and -unwind device for when you’re putting on or removing strings (not so much). Thing is, there are so dang many teeny parts in each roller (discerned from the original patent drawing) that the internals have all long since become irretrievably fused on every set I’ve ever seen, making them function like any regular tuning machines, with great-looking knobs sticking out from each gear. Doesn’t matter; if you’ve got an original Hall, or Ashborn, or any one of a host of other 19th-century guitars made by outfits that White sold them to, and you’d love to have a set to replace the originals long lost to complete the picture, this is your opportunity, as these do not come on the market very often if at all. With their brass backplates with repeating designs embossed on their edges and unusually high-quality bone buttons, this set is unmolested and in fine working order. 1-1/4” / 3-1/2” spacing. $995