Hohner Brochure – circa 1950

Some of the President’s accessories in pretty pictures

This last page will likely be as interesting to Hohner enthusiasts and researchers as the rest of the brochure. As I did on on the previous page, I will add photos from Hohner President saxophones which illustrate what these accessories look like in real life. These photos are included after the scanned imaged. A description of each accessory—where applicable—will precede each photo.

A crap case that’s pretty, but offers almost zero protection

If you take a look at the case that Hohner shows in this brochure, it looks nothing like the cases that came with the President saxophones. Or at least none that I have seen to date that came with their original cases.

The cases that I have seen all appear to be the same ultra-cheap, paper-covered cardboard—with maybe some thin wood somewhere—cases that were standard issue for many mid-century German horns. Julius Keilwerth, Dörfler & Jörka, and Hammerschmidt were all brands that seem to have used these cases extensively. These cases did not hold up well, and lead to serious damage if the horn was dropped while in its case. (This is how my De Villiers tenor got damaged prior to my purchasing it.)

I was fortunate enough to get a minty Hohner tenor 104XX, circa 1961, from the original owner. Like the horn itself, the case too is minty. 

These cases had an open compartment for the neck, as well a closed compartment for other accessories.

Although the case might look pretty, the lid to the closed accessory compartment is poorly constructed. Therefore even though it has seen minimal use, it is very loose. There is no proper hinge on the lid, so the inside has separated and the accessory compartment lid moves around too freely. The only thing keeping it together is the black material on the underside that you can see, glued to the blue, velvet-like material on the topside. I have to be very careful when I open it so as not to damage the lid’s “hinge”.

The pull-through & what the heck is a “Sling with felt lined neck-band smart finish” anyway?

As well as receiving the horn and the case in minty condition, my tenor also came with all the original accessories. (At least the ones that were included when the horn was bought.)

The chamois leather pull-through (39) and sling with felt lined neck-band smart finish (37), AKA neck strap, have the same pattern of white and black fibers woven into their cords. Interesting touch actually.

Ligature

Although not identical, the ligature that came with my circa ’61 tenor is of the same type Hohner described in its brochure (33). Note the movable tongue.

A reed cover you say? Huh

When Hohner writes Reed Cover (34), I can only assume that they mean mouthpiece cap. This is what the original one from tenor 104XX looks like.

The original, stock Hohner President mouthpiece

As you see in the photo above, as well as in the photo below, the mouthpiece (40) that came with my tenor does not resemble the mouthpiece that Hohner depicts in its brochure. It should be noted that all the Hohner Presidents that I have seen to date, that still have their original mouthpiece, all have mouthpieces like mine.

Put a mute in it

Neither of my Hohner saxophones came with an original mute. I did find alto 4858 on eBay a number of years ago that still had most (all?) of its original accessories, including a mute (35). However, note that it appears to be cork, rather than felt lined.

Reed cases & sax stands

To date I have not seen either a reed case (36), nor a saxophone stand (38) like Hohner mentions in their brochure.