Artikel: Conn / Wurlitzer ´The Seventh Trumpet´
Type : The Seventh Trumpet
Serial : W4089
Year : end 1920´s
General description : Unique alto saxophone, made by Conn for Wurlitzer. This one is not only gold plated with extended bell engraving, but it also has different keywork compared to the normal Conn alto. I never have seen one before, and there´s no information available online. It was bought from a collector in the USA early 2023. He did some research on this horn:
This is a Conn stenciled Wurlitzer alto, all gold-plated with full-bell portrait engraving. Low pitch. It has experimental C-C# trill key: never seen on a Conn stencil before. The engraving was probably not done by one of the regular Stenberg engravers but one under study: not sure. But the engraver did base the engraving on a mythological/historical/religious topic, identical the to the Stenberg engravers were known to do. The finish is very shiny.
My research on the engraving is as follows :
The most famous trumpets in the Bible are the seven trumpets blown in the Book of Revelation (Rev.8-11). Angels blow the first six trumpets to call sinners on Earth to repentance. Each trumpet blast brings a plague, each one more disastrous than the one before it. The trumpet is used to build anticipation and tells the reader that an alert, announcement, or warning is about to take place. The seventh trumpet does not bring a plague with it. Instead, an angel blows the seventh trumpet to announce the End Of Time and Judgement Day. In many religions an angel is depicted sometimes, as sometimes wingless and sexless blowing the seventh final trumpet call.
The angel who blows the ´Seventh Trumpet´ is commonly known as Gabriel. In Jewish religion the Seventh Trumpet call was the one that brought down the walls of Jericho.
Here´s the comment from another Conn expert: The keywork mods are nicely done, from what I can see of them. Just a guess! Really interesting! It looks like a stencil body that got fully tricked out at the factory. Someone must have special ordered it- maybe they wanted it brandless, or maybe they wanted a body style that was no longer available except in stencil form. Pearl inlay on the G#, too. The serial numbers for stencils were often different. My guess is that this horn was originally destined to be a regular stencil but was plucked from the line for whatever reason and customized.
Comments on this horn:
1) the sax has C-C# to D trill key, identical to Holton horns of this period. But this one is activated when C# open is played and the side C key is pressed. Thus C# to D trill is achieved. Also when the regular mid C is pressed and the side C key is pushed the C to D trill is achieved. Very unique and handy.
2) Serial number is W4089. There was never a destination of a ´W´ in any Pan American or Conn serial number listing. There´s also no model number available. This might have been a special order horn…..
3) The horn has a pearl G# key. Seems this is a modified New Wonder II key. Rather strange, as the palm keys are earlier old-style teardrop type keys.
4) There are nice engravings on the bow area sides.
5) No dents on the bow section.
6) Straight tone holes, not rolled (typical for Conn stencil horns).
7) No front F (quick F).
8) No company logo anywhere. Serial prefix W refers to a Conn Wurlitzer stencil horn.
9) Conn Haynes Patd. Dec.8, 1914, 1119954 and Conn-style identification on the back, as well as the Conn Mercedes style C guard.
10) The horn plays very well on it´s current pads. It has an overhaul not that long ago.
11) All pearls are very nice. No damage or real wear.
12) The finish is 99% intact. The gold plate reminds me of the Holton 24K gold plating process. It´s different (shiny) compared to the regular Conn gold-plated horns.
13) Strap hook is not worn suggesting this horn was not played that much.
14) Action is fine and the sax plays comfortably. All rollers are working.
15) The neck is good, no pulldown or dents. I´m not sure if this is the original neck. It seems to be lacquered, not gold-plated…..
16) One solder repair on the low Eb upper guard foot. Also one post was repaired on the upper stack. No other repairs, damages or dents.
After searching the internet for Wurlitzer Saxophone I found a similar alto saxophone with serial W6486, with identical key modifications! This one has the Wurlitzer engraving on the bell front.
Warranty : as-is: no warranty.
Level : professional.
Body : Gold plated body.
Condition : almost mint.
Visual : no issues.
Repairs : solder repair on low Eb keyguard and post on upper stack.
Engraving : beautiful full-bell engraving `The Seventh Trumpet´.
Keywork : Gold plated.
Condition : very good, only minor wear and tear.
Pads : in very good condition.
Neck : Probably not original, lacquered.
Condition : very good. No pulldown.
Features : Extra keywork options.
Case : original black leather case.
Case condition : Old, but fully functional.
History : from vintage saxophone collector in USA.
