Responding to an on-line friend by-way of Twitter I stumbled upon a fellow saxophonist asking about his Indiana Band Instrument tenor saxophone. He gave the all important serial number, and then I went to work. My friend of the tenor saxophone you have a vintage instrument that was made in 1919 by the Indiana Band Instrument Company. You will never find Indiana Band Instrument Company tenor saxophone - #17255 looking under Indiana Band Instrument, but you will find it by searching Martin Band Instruments.
Without going into the complete history of Martin Band Instruments, and generally speaking, Martin took controlling interest in Indiana Band Instrument Company in 1928. Indiana Band Instrument Company operated separately until 1942. Indiana Band Instrument Company produced Martin stencils. Stencils are saxophones built by a saxophone maker for another company. That purchasing company places their stencil and engraving on the saxophone.
It appears you have an original Indiana Band Instrument Company tenor saxophone with the serial number #17255 that was made before Indiana Band Instrument Company was bought-out by Martin. Sounds like you were given a valuable gift.
I recently purchased a silver alto saxophone built like a Martin but is a stencil, no Martin identification. The model number is A 10269 L. From much online information, I am guessing it is the first phase of Indiana Band Instrument Company alto sax stencils patterned after the Handcraft Phase II. It has a split bell design and no front F key. Is there an existing list of model numbers from the Indiana Band Inst. Co. stencils to verify this and get and estimate of it's age and value? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it does have the Martin beveled tone holes. I also found a list of stencils made by various companies, but no model number or serial number lists.
ReplyDeletehttp://reviews.ebay.com/Saxophone-Stencil-List_W0QQugidZ10000000006282122
Go to 'http://www.themartinstory.net/version7/whatyou-how-old.php' and you'll find more accurate information, or the Martin subforum on SaxontheWeb. The above mentioned #17255 is not of 1919 vintage....Martin did not incorporate the IBICO division until late 1928. There has been incorrect Indiana Band Instrument Co web information for years. It was never a prior company taken over by Martin - It was formed as a wholly owned entity within Martin to market their less expensive lines as well as stencils. My grandad was one of the founding officers. They are outstanding horns, usually modeled after past designs and then sold at lower cost without the Martin logo (but the same craftsmen.
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