Alto Saxophone: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This saxophone was made for Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog by Martin Band Instrument Company in Elkhart, Indiana, about 1927. It is low-pitch Alto Saxophone Perfacktone model in E-flat, serial #6642, made of brass with pearl keys. Accessioned with original case. The saxophone is engraved:

This saxophone was purchased through Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog by the donor’s brother, Dr. Henry C. Sivik, in 1929. Sivik played this saxophone from 1929 to 1933. He gave this saxophone to the donor in 1939, who played it in several high school and community groups until 1967.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: ca 1927
• Object Name: saxophone
• Measurements: saxophone: 23 1/4 in x 9 in x 5 1/8 in; 59.055 cm x 22.86 cm x 13.0175 cm
• Measurements: mouthpiece: 3 1/4 in x 1 1/8 in; 8.255 cm x 2.8575 cm
• Measurements: neck: 6 5/8 in x 3 1/4 in x 1 3/4 in; 16.8275 cm x 8.255 cm x 4.445 cm
• ID Number: MI.79.07
• catalog number: 79.07
• accession number: 1978.2532
• Credit Line: Gift of Juliana Sivik Samoriski
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.