Conn 10M Ladyface (1942)

This 10M Ladyface has serial number 307337 and was built in mid-1942. So this is a so-called war-horn (from WW2), from the time when Conn built very few musical instruments. However, the sax has no additional US engraving on the bell and was therefore not built for a US military band. I suspect the sax was already largely built during the outbreak of WW2 (Pearl harbour attack in December 1941) and left the factory in 1942 as one of the very last ´normal´ 10M saxes.
From 1942 to the end of 1945, Conn switched production and built altimeters and other devices for the US Air Force. Saxophones were built only sporadically during this time and are highly sought after among collectors. They are technically completely identical to pre-war saxes until 1947, i.e. with rolled tone holes.