Saxophone Forum


by tlaleike
(3 posts)
6 years ago

Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

Hey there, hope you can help me. I'm looking for the year of Sax of my dad. It's a Lyon & Healy "inspiration" and has the number C9080L.

He loves it and would like to know the year.

I'm really grateful for your help. Thanks!

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  1. by historicsaxwhisperer
    (644 posts)

    6 years ago

    Re: Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

    Your horn will be a "stencil" horn. Meaning it was made by one of the larger manufactureres and sold as a second line model to whoever wanted to purchase them and have their name "Stenciled" on it.

    If you post some pictures, we knowlegable restorers can give you our input, or do your own on line ivestigating, comparing to models out there.

    This link may help you.

    http://www.saxontheweb.net/Resources/Stencils.html

    The C may mean c melody and the L meaning low pitch.

    This resembles what you would see on a martin or possibly a conn.

    Good Luck

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    1. by tlaleike
      (3 posts)

      6 years ago

      Re: Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

      thanks for your reply.

      I've attached some fotos from the sax. a own research is quite complicated for me i've no knowledge about saxophone ;)

      i help my dad with this research and asking you.

      thank you so much, Thomas

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      1. by GFC
        (842 posts)

        6 years ago

        Re: Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

        It looks like keywork from before the time when the front F key became a standard feature.  That suggests some time before the late 1920s, although some older designs were continued for second line horns.  It was probably made by Couturiere, who made horns with soldered-on tonehole chimneys similar to Martins but without the concave bevel to the pad seat characteristic of Martins.  The palm keys are Martin-like but the F# key and the C# keyguard look more Conn-like.  The bell key guards look as though they were attached after the engraving was done.  If the length from the bottom of the bow to the top of the neck receiver is around 28 inches it is a tenor.  If it is less it is a c-melody.

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        1. by historicsaxwhisperer
          (644 posts)

          6 years ago

          Re: Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

          I have to disagree with this input. I do see beveled toneholes as you would see on a Martin stencil. I also see a few small items that tell me it probably is a Martin. One being the characteristic lyre holder as seen on Martins. Conn had the patent on the front F key, so all makers except Conn went without a front F for a number of years.

          My further input is that this horn was probably engraved by Conn. Martin did some great engraving also. The engraving is very well done.  I believe Conn soldered on the key guards, as they also look to be Conn. The Mercedez Benz looking low C key guard is a Conn feature, but I have seen it elsewhere.

          Lyon and Healy did in fact make their own horns in the more primitive years, prior to this model. My thought is they chose to have Martin make the horn, then chose to have Conn engrave them and then put the conn Key guards on. This may have cost a bit more, but all the manufactureres were all located in Elkhart indiana.

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        2. by GFC
          (842 posts)

          6 years ago

          Re: Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

          It has bevels to the tonehole seats, but not the concave bevels diagnostic of Martins (with exception of Soprano).  I'm more inclined to believe that it is a Couturiere body tube with some key guards supplied by Conn and possibly Martin.  Did Martin ever outsource parts?  If Couturiere were anticipating Conn guards for the bell keys then switched to another source for the order, that would explain why the guard feet are soldered on over the engraving.  Conn guards were attached to the tonehole chimneys.  

          Front F keys became standard on Bueschers by 1926.

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        3. by tlaleike
          (3 posts)

          6 years ago

          Re: Lyon & Healy Serial Number and year

          Hi guys,

          thanks for your input so far. its so interessting to follow the history and ideas / information you share with me. so, its quite complicated to find out the year of manufacture because so many manufactures were involved in the process? have i understand it correct?

          i will translate now your ideas for my dad.
          thank you so much!

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