Interest in stencilled horns -- horns made by one manufacturer and sold under a different company's name -- is probably higher now than it's ever been.  Part of this increase in interest is surely a matter of economics (there is currently no real resale market in "stencil horns" for dealers, so prices on them are not affected by retailer regulation, and they remain quite low) and part of it is a matter of information being more readily available, through the internet (more people realize that it's possible to potentially get a "big bang for the buck" in a stencil horn, and feel better able to find and recognize one -- or, simply, more people realize that such a thing as a stencil exists).

I've seen a few internet sources on identifying stencils, but not enough information for the purposes of identifying the majority of stencils in circulation.  The truth is that knowledgable dealers do not have much interest in stencils, because there just is not much opportunity for a profitable turnaround on resale; knowing about stencils simply "does not pay," so nobody really bothers to research the history of these particular horns.  Additionally, much of that history is hard to come by, or perhaps does not even exist (having been destroyed, or lost, over the course of time).  In most cases, what dealers are going by, in ascribing to an "American Premier" or "U.S. Bandmaster" a manufacturing origin, is the features of the horn in question.

Dr. Rick, previously of the ex-Village and Flute Shop in Greenwich Village (which has since closed), has penned some very useful stuff on identifying stencils; the vast majority of stencils, by the makers he discusses, however, may not be identifiable using just the information given in Dr. Rick's commentary (click here to check out Dr. Rick's very helpful online commentary, and illustrations).

There are lists all around the internet in other places that suggest makers for stencil horns, but in my own experience many of them seem to be quite inaccurate, or almost arbitrarily disposed in their attributions.  Some seem to reverse the matching of certain makers.  One of the best known internet sites seems to have reversed the "paternity" of the horns made by Conn and Buescher, for example.  Indeed, it's probably wise to treat stencil lists made by dealers -- including this one, by all means -- as somewhat suspect, since dealers have no real advantage in relating information on stencils accurately or carefully.  The best thing one can do, when shopping for stencils, is to learn what the various identifying features of each manufacturing line's signature horns were, over the course of the company's history.  In my experience, many (if not most) stencils incorporate features from several manufacturing eras.  Most of the post-war Conn alto stencils one sees, for example, incorporate 6M styles wire guards and general tone hole layout with a combination of "Chu" and "Pre-Chu" keywork, along with a "Pre-Chu" styled neck.  Moreover, it's worth noting that, while these horns do not play necessarily better or worse overall than the signature lines, they are not the same in feel, sound, intonation or more general response).

All of the major American makers -- King, Conn, Buescher and Martin -- made a good number of horns that were similar to, but not the same as, their "signature lines," and which they  sold to other companies for sale under the contractor's name.  These horns all feature telltale signs of the horns' origins, in various combinations of cosmetic and design touches, although only rarely does one come across a stencil that exactly replicates a combination of features to be found on a signature line horn.  (This distinction between "stencil horn" and "signature line," for what it's worth, shouldn't be regarded as a natural, or industry standard; as formal descriptive phrases, the terms are, as far as I know, my own invention, and they're used simply  for the purposes of discussion, here.)  Complicating matters, in identifying stencils' makers, is the reality that many of the companies who bought horns made by one manufacturer also bought horns made by another, releasing them under the same company name.  Thus, the only way to confidently identify a stencil is ultimately to know how to identify its features, and thereby attribute the features to one manufacturer or another; the manufacturer, in many cases, cannot be identified simply with reference to the distributor's company name.  Perhaps later, if there's time, I'll try and get around to posting some pics here, of various identifying features of manufacturing lines.  Meanwhile, if you look at Dr. Rick's very useful pages on ID-ing stencils, and do some diligent research of your own, incorporating what you learn there, you'll be able to identify stencils confidently fairly quickly.  If you add to what Dr. Rick has given in his site a familarity with neck brace & bow brace/crown styles, bow-body brace styles, chromatic F# styles, octave key design elements, & so forth for each maker, to your knowledge of design elements -- for production runs 1920-1970 -- you'll likely be able to identify most stencils, by most makers.

All that said, here are, below, some of the relationships I've found to be near certain, in my own viewings & contact with particular examples of stencil horns; my attributions are based on my own information on manufacturing design and styles over time.  Again, the intention is not to say "X brand was made by manufacturer Z," but rather to suggets that "Some brand X horns appear, with fair certainty, to have been made by manufacturer Z."  I draw my conclusions not from historical documents, but from experience with each manufacturer's signature lines, and intimate contact with each line's various design features.  The relationships I suggest should be taken as "likelihoods" rather than "cold hard facts."  This document's intent is simply to share information, and to promote more informed discussion of, and shopping for, vintage saxophones.  Please don't take it as gospel, or as intended to stand forth as such.  Also, there is bound to be disagreement on some of these items, and makers; the reasoning and conclusions here are my own, based on my own research, experience & observations.

All that said, here are my own attributions, based on examples of stencils I've seen:
 
 

(last revised 2/11/03)

BUESCHER	Bruno Wurlitzer American Silvertone The Elkhart (says, "Made By Buescher") Carl Fischer Lyons-Monarch Harwood
CONN	Vega Sherwood Master American Artist Cavalier Harwood Carl Fischer Selmer ("New York," and some split bell keys) Wurlitzer American Horace Landy Grand Opera "Pride of Elkhart" The Olympian "The Elkhart" (pre-front F key) "Columbian Soloist" Richmond (probable)
KEILWERTH	Tone King New King H.A. Selmer "Bundy Special" U.S. Bandmaster Armstrong "Heritage" / 3070 Buffet (some of the S-series) Marco Conn ("DJH" Modified") Couf Boosey & Hawkes (Edgeware/Fogware) Martelle Alexandre King "Tempo" (baritone) Roxy* De Villier* Corvair* (* possibly made by Dörfler and Jörka, ex-Keilwerth employees producing horns also in Nauheim, circa 1950-1968?  There are several stencil lines whose keywork and hardware are indentical to that used by Keilwerth over various production periods, but which may have been made by D and J.  These horns play very similarly to Keilwerths of the same period, with a very similar voice.  The major evident difference between the horn that seem to be by D and J is in the taper of the neck, and its acoustical dimensions; despite a much smaller neckpipe opening, for e.g., the [putatively] D and J horns play with a very Keilwerth resonance & "smoky," tangy character.  Thanks to Stephan Boesken for posting info on Dörfler and Jörka to the web.  For more on Keilwerth lines, stencils, and Dorfler and Jorka, see also: Boosey & Hawkes' Keilwerth forum)
KING	American Professional American Standard
KOHLERT	Lyons-Monarch Gaylord (probable)
MARTIN	Premier American The Elkhart (doesn't say "Made by Buescher") Indiana (split bell keys) Perfacktone Colonial Concertone (C-melody) York Harmony Bettoney Chauvet Kingston (opposing bell keys) Lyon-Healy "American Professional" Diplomat (same side bell keys) US Bandmaster (opposing bell keys) American Artist (opposing bell keys) Supertone (opposing bell keys) Reynolds
SML	"The Woodwind" F.A. Reynolds King-Marigaux

 

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