Here are some pictures of an interesting bass currently at Steve Reinfrank’s shop, SMR Double Basses, in Evanston.  It was made by the Joseph Bohmann Co. and is the second one I’ve seen in person.  The Denver bassist Paul Warburton owns a 5 string model and I believe Tonight Show bassist Robert Hurst owns one.  There are at least two others in the Chicago area at this time. 

Bohmann ran a Chicago based string instrument factory and built instruments from the latter quarter or the 19th century through the 1920’s.  According to luthier Scott Henrie, Kagan & Gaines bought the bulk of factory leftovers from the estate.  More info about the company can be found here.  This bass appears to need a lot of work, but it has a sweet and mellow sound.  The tuners on these basses are something else!  That’s Steve Reinfrank in the picture.