Update: This saxophone is no longer available! This article is here only for historical value.
When it comes to a saxophone one of your idols may have played, how much is too much? Today’s offering for your consideration: a stunningly beautiful, and very customized, Leblanc-stencilled Vito alto, that once belong to the late Johnny Hodges.
Source: ebay.com
The upper octave key has a snake’s head complete with diamonds in its eyes.
Source: ebay.com
The alto is covered in rich engraving, and has extra inlaid mother of pearl key touches on the right and left palm keys.
Source: ebay.com
Source: ebay.com
Source: ebay.com
As you can see in the above photo, this horn has a combo of brass and silver. However, it is exactly the opposite of the King Silversonic horns. Whereas they had solid silver necks and bells, along with brass body tubes and bows, this horn has a silver plated body tube and bow (according to the seller), combined with a brass neck and bell. I wonder why? It does seem rather counter-intuitive.
As mentioned at the start of this article, this particular Leblanc-stencilled Vito alto that is currently being offered for sale on eBay, apparently once belonged to jazz legend Johnny Hodges. The seller attached the following photo to the auction, in which Hodges appears to be using the instrument for a recording session.
Source: ebay.com
Just for reference, here are the 3 models of Leblanc saxophones.
This Leblanc-stencilled Vito alto is a Leblanc System saxophone, not a Leblanc Rationale as the seller stated in this ad:
I am extremely proud to offer one of Johnny Hodges’s personal alto saxophones, owned and played by the jazz giant from The Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra. Over the years Johnny Hodges played a few different horns including another one with a snakes head on top of the octave key.
We believe this horn came along later in Johnny Hodges’s career.
It is currently owned and played by another jazz great Frank Wess who acquired it from Johnny Hodges’s estate.
The horn has been lovingly cared for, professionally maintained and kept in perfect playable condition by Tomoji Hirakata in NYC.
I found one photo of Johnny Hodges playing the horn.
The photo is in a book called “Jazz Giants” A Visual Retrospective compiled by K.Abe
the photo was taken by Arthur Singer in 1967.
I’m sure you will recognize the other people in the photo !
Frank Wess purchased the horn from Johnny Hodges’s widow. (this is the story according to Frank!)
Frank played this horn while he was with The Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band.
The best information I have is the horn was made and engraved by Beaugnier (France) and then, maybe assembled in the US.
The key system you can call “Leblanc Rationale” System.
The Johnny Hodges horn is a Leblanc Rationale with the Vito name on it. The Vito model had all adjustments by cork; the Leblanc had the fancy set screws and small nuts throughout for registration. The Rationale system was described as “The Boehm system for sax”. The design was by Hovenhaghel in the 1930’s but never caught on. It allows many alternate fingerings. Do doubt something Johnny Hodges was keen to make good use of.
It is silver plating over the brass.
I found one tone hole that does not have coating on and it has green stuff. (it’s clean now)
This green stuff is a byproduct of prolonged human contact on untreated brass.
As you can see in the photos it has been cleaned and restored.
Brass can be : Yellow brass 70%copper, 30% zinc
Red Brass 85% copper, 15% zinc.
And Nickel Silver 67%copper, 18%nickel, 15%zinc.
Please view the photos and you will see this horn has been meticulously maintained and is not just a flawless musical instrument but it is also a work of art. “Johnny Hodges” is engraved inside the bell.
Yes, there really are diamonds in the eyes of the snake.
The white mouthpiece with Johnny Hodges’s name etched on the side is included in this sale, as is the case. It is the original Leblanc case.
Here are the remaining photos of this Leblanc-stencilled Vito alto:
Source: ebay.com
BTW in case you’re interested, as the seller mentioned this is a re-list. The original auction ended on June 1. The prices then were: $150,000 as an opening bid, with a Buy It Now price of $200,000. 
Kinda’ makes John Coltrane’s Yamaha alto for $115,000 look like a bargain, doesn’t it?
Anyone know what the tip opening and facing on that mouthpiece is. The only information I’ve ever been able to find on his mouthpiece setup was that for one stretch he used a Berg with an .083 opening (no information on the facing length or chamber).
In the jazz institute of Rutger University there is another saxophone with a snake head on display.
It is the Dolnet tenor of Don Byas.
I wonder what the symbolism is between sax players and snakes? Biblical perhaps? That’s the most obvious one that comes to mind.
Snakes can have a lot of symbolic meanings. In an interview with a Dutch acquaintance of Don Byas, the snake in this case was a symbol of luck. Other explanations are possible.
Well, there definitely was a Vito Johnny Hodges model. It’s the Model 135. Pics are at http://doctorsax.biz/vito_alto_2551A.htm.
SOTW mentions that the Leblanc horn with the silver body and lacquer neck/bell is the Model 100 (alto) and 120 (picture from an ad at http://www.corkycorcoran.com/leblanc.html).
Looking at the Johnny Hodges pic that Helen has, above, you can see the little “star” on one of the octave vent keys, as is also pictured in the eBay ad and the phenomenal video Helen posted on June 4 @ 8:59.
The question then is, “Is the horn in the ad and in the video the same horn as in the pic of Johnny Hodges?” Possibly. Maybe. I don’t have a pic of the upper stack of the 135 and I can’t find any other pics of the Model 100/120. Yet. In any event, note that the auction went from $150K (http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Johnny-Hodges-Vito-LeBlanc-alto-saxophone-/390603213333) to $80K in a week. That’s kinda worrying, too.
I’d want a little more provenance before shelling out those kinda bucks.
While trying to check for Hodges’ recordings on YouTube where I might see him playing a Leblanc, I came across this one. I believe it must be the one the seller mentions in her eBay ad, but doesn’t provide a link to.
It is the same horn as in the ebay auction. Ebay does not allow you to place any links in the text of an auction. That is why I only mention the YouTube video.
After many conversations with Frank (the owner) , and a few others,we have brought the price down to $50k.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390630546714?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
thanks!
Michelle Dodgion
“The seller attached the following photo to the auction, in which Hodges appears to be using the instrument for a recording session.”:
I don’t think so.
The horn in the photo is not the same horn to me. Left thumb rests are different! DIFFERENT NECK, too. The upper octave key has not a snake’s head and it isn’t engraved.
Good eye Stefano. Maybe he owned more than 1?
He plays a Vito on the next you tube picture:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw8De8fXzUQ&list=RD02tgVm4NLMBcI
after 1:22 the Vito mark is visible.
It has lots of engraving simular to this saxophone.
At 3:24 the crook is visible, maybe there is a sneak head, but it is difficult to see.
In this video Theo, I’m only seeing the album cover. :scratch: Nice recording though. I hadn’t heard it before.
My mistake Helen, it was another tune.
Black butterfly, but the video you found gives a better look at the instrument.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw8De8fXzUQ