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LaPorte IND - A New Perspective ..

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#1 · (Edited)
LaPorte IND - A New Perspective On Early American Saxophone History

The following shows my personal approach to this topic. Together with the threads already existing it may help to understand why a new subforum for the 'Couturier/Lyon&Healy' saxophone was standing to reason. Many thanks to Harri and Mike for providing this!

February 2006 I purchased my first American made vintage saxophone - an altosaxophone, a typical horn from the twenties with an afterwards dark honeytone-lacquered body and bare brass keywork and neck. The bell inscription reads:

Lyon&Healy
Makers
Chicago
USA​
and
Couturier Model​

Once owned by a young American jazz musician on tour in Europe in the sixties it was kept for him by a German family when he was called up for military service (Vietnam, I suppose). After four decades - not having received a sign of life - they decided to sell it.

I was completely unaware about that brand but felt attracted, don't know why, and made a bid - my first bid on a saxophone .. .

After treating the aged and hard pads with Palmer's Cocoa butter I playtested the horn in a railway underpass. Because of several leakages the sound was not very impressive, but there was something in the tone - something unknown and different .. .

So I decided to give it new pads and after a mouthpiece was found (thanks Mr. Cybersax for the philosophy!) - the sax voted for a Yanagisawa metal 8 - I tried again: Unbelievable wide lyrical tone, strong and smooth at the same time with a good portion of serenity and sobriety. From that moment on I didn't get away and I asked myself: Who is that genius creating such an amazing horn? - unaware that the answer was already written on the horn.

Here is the essence of nearly four years of research *:

1. Lyon&Healy never designed saxophones.**

2. A Lyon&Healy-Martin connection never existed.

3. Lyon&Healy saxophones (those with the bevelled toneholes) were built by the E.A. Couturier Band Instrument Company in LaPorte, IND which became a Lyon&Healy plant 1924. They were designed by Ernst Albert Couturier, the president of the company who manufactured saxophones since 1922. 1928 the manufacturing facility was sold to Holton who continued building 'Couturier'-saxophones for L&H until 1930.


* initially based on Steve Mumford. He was the first who outlined the Couturier/Lyon&Healy history correctly, based on his own researches in the archieves of Elkhart and LaPorte IND; my own researches include 'The Music Trade Review', 'Presto', Patent info as well as numerous examinations on Couturier saxophones and much else.

** except keywork
 
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#3 ·
... was the Couturier family originally from France?
Ernst Alberts mother originated from Baden, South Germany, his father was Alsatian (France), if I remember right. I will look it up.
 
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