by Paul D. Race
This article applies mostly to vintage saxphones (usually silverplated) made between1914 and 1935, though a few “stencils” appear later.
Between 1900 and 1930s, there was an explosion of interest in the saxophone, especially the C Melody, which made playing saxophone in the home easier for many people. The major saxophone manufacturers (especially Martin, Buescher, and Conn) redesigned their horns between 1914 and 1918 to play in “low pitch” (the key we use for band, orchestra and piano nowadays). They added other features in the process, so they were ready to churn out high-quality horns, while keeping the prices reasonable by maintaining economies of scale.
By 1920, the saxophone became what the electric guitar was to the 1950s and 1960s - everybody “cool” had to have one.
Three US-based companies sold most of the saxophones sold in the U.S. - Conn, Martin, and Buescher. But many of the horns they made did not have those names on the bell. For various reasons, those companies also made “second-tier” horns with other brand names. These were called “stencils” (because of the engravers often swapped out the stencils they used between one horn and the next). Stencil horns served three main purposes:
In all cases, stencils helped the manufacturers keep their factory lines busy when orders for the “name brand” horns were slow, helping them maintain economies of scale.
Although millions of saxophones were sold between 1915 and 1925, many modern collectors and players who are interested in vintage horns have tended to focus on later “upgrade” models that were made in smaller quantities. This has driven up the price of horns like the Conn New Wonder II and the Conn 10m and 30m “Naked Lady,” the King Super 20, the Buescher Aristocrat and 400, and the Selmer Balanced Action, Super Balanced Action, and Mark VI.
It has even driven up the price of name-brand first-generation low-pitch horns like the Buescher True-Tone and Conn New Wonder (I). But many first-generation low pitch horns made by Buescher, Conn, and Martin are overlooked because they’re branded for Wurlitzer, Lyon & Healy or some other company that never made their own horns.
As our Stencil Saxophone List shows, at least three European companies contributed stencils to the North American market between 1918 and 1932, but the vast majority of stencils sold here were made by Conn, Martin, and Buescher.
Not all stencils were exactly like the manufacturer’s A-line horns. But some were. As examples, I’ve seen “Wurlitzer” C melodies that were identical to the same year’s Martin horns in every detail but the engraving. I’ve also seen “Wurlitzer” C Melodies that were identical to the same year’s Buescher, including the man-in-the-moon neck brace which which Buescher usually left off of stencils. In both cases, I would consider the stencil as an equivalent to the manufacturer’s own horns. On the other hand, there are many reputed Conn stencils that do not have Conn’s trademark rolled tone holes and lack other features. Some of them are still very nice horns, but when the vendor says they’re “just like” the Conn, especially a desirable horn, he or she is really attempting to con you. How do you sort truth from fiction? You educate yourself. Learn the distinctive features of Conn, Martin, and Buescher horns of those eras for starters. We have a few tips on our “Stencil Saxophone List ” page. Here’s an irony - when I was researching our article on Saxophone Ergonomic s , I learned enough about certain key shapes that I can often identify certain makes and models by the shape of left pinky key cluster - that’s one of my fallbacks when the more obvious signs give conflicting indications. That is one reason many clear, in-focus photos are critical to buying online.
Here are some things to think about.
That said, many folks selling vintage saxophones on the Internet like to claim a relationship that doesn’t exist. Not every off-brand sax produced between 1914 and 1935 was a stencil. Some were just junk, period. And a few stencils were so defeaturized as to make them undesirable to today’s players. Not to mention that the Internet has spread its share of urban legends about stencil horns as well.
Note: Most stencils were produced during the “golden age” of home saxophone playing, say 1915-1932. So there is a relatively high proportion of C Melody horns - the ultimate home saxophones. But in addition, note that all but a handful of stencils are based on first-generation Low Pitch saxophones, such as the Buescher True-Tone. If you’re looking for a vintage pro or semi-pro American-built horn, such as a Buescher Aristocrat or 400 or Martin Imperial, or Conn New Wonder II or “Naked Lady,” you will not find a stencil equivalent. That said, Ragtime, Dixieland, and Swing were invented on the first-generation Buescher TrueTones and the Conns, Martins, and Kings of the same generation. So those horns and many of their stencil equivalents still have a lot to offer a player looking for a solid, good-sounding horn.
So if you’re considering a horn that’s advertised as a stencil, you should verify that it really is a stencil of the brand being claimed (as often as not, it isn’t). Or at least that it’s a stencil of a legitimate brand. Our Stencil Saxophone List includes reported stencil names and the manufacturer(s) that at least one collector assumed had made them. But some of those reports are like Sasquatch sightings - difficult to confirm or deny. When it comes down to it, you have to get your hands on the horn, if possible, or on photos from every angle, if not, and compare to photos of the equivalent name brand horns. Check first to see if it’s truly a stencil of that brand, second to see if the horn seems mechanically sound, and third to see if the stencil is missing any features you have come to depend on, such as a trill key or front F key or ???