If you’ve been following my weblog for a while, you likely know that I like to keep an eye out for photos of large saxophones that adorn the outside of buildings. The other day I happened across a shot on Flickr that shows an ornamental sax affixed to the outside of a music store in Wormerveer, North Holland.
Saxophone Teacher Lives Here
Source: Flickr Photography by: Michael Coghlan
I’m not sure why Michael Coghlan would title his photograph like this, since from the outside it would have been clear that this ornamental sax is affixed to a retail store called Marjan Mol. Even if you can’t read Dutch (BTW, blaasinstrumenten means wind instruments), a storefront should have given it away. 😉
Since I didn’t know anything about either the town, or the store, a bit of Google sleuthing turned up a website for Marjan Mole blaasinstrumenten. Unfortunately a number of the pages on their site are still under construction, and those that are finished don’t offer up a lot of information.
A bit more Googling, this time on Google Street View, tells us that Marjan Mole blassinstrumenten was not yet located at Zaanweg 4, in July 2008—the last time this street was indexed by Google Street View. There is no large, ornamental sax on the outside of building, and no mention of the company’s name anywhere to be seen, just the name DE RUITER on the main floor, and a little green sign on the left side of the building.
Edit: I finally found a page on the company’s website that indicates that they opened on June 3, 2009. Apparently the owner opened up this shop when the one he worked at closed down after being in business for 46 years.
I don’t know what kind of repairs the shop does, or what kind of instruments Marjan Mole specializes in, but I must say I love their taste in signage. 
Large ornamental saxophones always get my vote.
@David: I think you’re referring to “Smoke Sax”. The 70 ft. sculpture was to be moved 2 years ago to a new home. I haven’t heard anything since this newspaper article in the Houston Chronicle. I’ve written a number of articles about this exact sculpture over the years (1, 2, 3, 4). Maybe it’s time for an update.
@Michael: Thanks for dropping by. I totally understand your confusion. I’m from Germany, so I understand the understated look of some shops. Here in North America everything is much more in your face. I think we have you Aussies beat when it comes to signage and advertising. :devil1:
That’s nice!! If I can find it, I have a picture of a Giant Sax (at least 50′ tall) at a closed restaurant in Houston, Tx., and probably no longer exists [:~{>
Hi Helen! I took this photograph – interesting to see it here now in this blog. I remember looking at this photograph after I took it and I wasn’t sure if it was a shop or not so I took a guess and thought it might be a music teacher’s house. I do read some Dutch so I knew what the sign said but still wasn’t sure that it was a shop. Where I live in Australia shops tend to be more obvious with lots of signs and advertising.
Cheers, Michael (mikecogh)