Search Forums


Tips for better searching

Saxophone Forum

Forum » Vintage Saxophones » 1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch


by Sundropmaster
(3 posts)
12 years ago

1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch

1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax in low pitch
I picked this up from a goodwill and now I'm so interested in finding out the history of this great piece of history.


After Researching and the help of a new friend Mike, The horn I have has a strange uniquie serial stamp to it.   It is missing the 1914 William S. Haynes drawn tone hole patent stamp. And if you notice is above the L is between the 7 and the 6.  I was thinking this might have been made for the US Military.

The strangest element is the bell engraving. In the picture it has the much later 6M "Artist" style bell engraving usually only found on the 30's and 40's so called "Lady Face" horns, but not on the New Wonder horns of the 20's!
I can see on the horn that there was an older artist style engraving and the one you can see in the picture is over the older one, I might have to try to get a better picture to show you this detail!

I think that someone engraved over the original one. And I can see evidence of a previous one under the newer looking engraving that was extending on the bell further than the newer looking engraving.  Has anyone ever seen one like the stamped seriel numbers like the one in my pictures?

The closest pictures of Serial numbers I could find are posted as well, and leads me to believe more that it might have been made for the  US Military. 

Thank you for your time and help

Reply To Post [Report Abuse]

Report Abuse
Replies


  2. by JonHuff
    (117 posts)
    12 years ago

    Re: 1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch

    It's an anomaly, but unfortunately it isn't a Conn, and doesn't appear to be made by any of the Elkhart manufacturers. If you ignore the engraving and just look at the horn, none of the keywork looks to be Conn, Buescher, Martin, etc. Given the somewhat shoddy engraving, it just looks like someone copied the old Conn engraving onto an all-ready stripped spare instrument.

    Reply To Post


    1. by GFC
      (842 posts)
      11 years ago

      Re: 1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch

      The rolled tonehole in the fourth picture is an exclusively Conn feature.


      I'm wondering if this wasn't a horn that came back into Conn's possession after its government service and was used for training.    That's the only thing I can think of that explains the re-engraving. 

      Reply To Post


      1. by Sundropmaster
        (3 posts)
        11 years ago

        Re: 1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch

        Reply To Post


      2. by Sundropmaster
        (3 posts)
        11 years ago

        Re: 1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch

        That's a really good thought you have there, that could be the case and I never thought of that, and to the other post, that could be a thought too that someone wanted to fake a Conn, I really don't know anything about this item or the history or about music and of course Saxophones, and both of you make great points, I just don't know enough to doubt it being real or a fake!  It has my great attention and after all this I might turn in a collector of music instruments because the history is so fascinating to me , Regarless to me is a great find and will uphold my greastest respect! Would look great on my wall in my living room, but it still holds my interest as far as the history to it.

        It's like finding someone in the woods, that is naked, has tattoos and doesn't speak any language at all, and the tattoos art work is from the moon landscape. 
        Here are a few more pics, I can take more photo's if needed! Thank you guys for your thoughts and it really helps me understand the history that could lay in my hands 

        Reply To Post


        1. by GFC
          (842 posts)
          11 years ago

          Re: 1921 Conn New Wonder Series I alto sax low pitch

          The rolled tone holes and the LH table are its most New Wonder like features.  The C and C# keyguards, the bow reinforcement, and the style of ring at the bow/body seam look like Buescher features.  There were other stencils made by Conn that had Buescher features.  There was even one that had a True Tone LH table and the same style bell keys as the M series - before they were on the M series horns.  August Buescher first got into the saxophone business as an employee of Conn, so maybe some relationship continued.  If this horn were produced for a US military order, that would have some similarity to producing a batch of stencil horns. 

          Enjoy your weird little piece of history!

           

          Reply To Post