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Henton-Knecht Instruments

Henton-Knecht

Philadelphia, PA

USA

1920s-




Professional saxophonists, Al Knecht and Ben Henton both played with Sousa’s Concert Band. They also had a music store in Philadelphia, Pa. In the early 1920’s they were ordering "stencil" instruments from various manufacturers and merchandising them via their store.

Benal was a model name formed from their first names.

  • 1877 H. Benjamin (Benne) Henton born in Illinois
  • 1884 Albert Aloysius Knecht born in Conshohocken, PA
  • 1905-1919 Knecht & Henton play saxophone in Sousa’s band
  • 1920 Henton-Knecht Music Store, #1734 Market St., Phila.
  • 1922 H-K also have music Conservatory at store which moves to #24 South 18th St. in September; Conn dealer
  • 1925 ad has them at #110 South 17th St. with the Conservatory (they may have had two locations at this time)
  • 1926 the Conservatory is at #1714 Chestnut St.
  • 1929 store at #24 S. 18th St.
  • 1938 Henton dies and the store changes to Knecht’s Music Store
  • 1942 store at #24 S. 18th St.
  • 1953 Albert Knecht is the last living member of the Sousa band that travelled the world in 1911; store still at #24 S. 18th St.
  • 1954 Knecht dies
  • 1973 Store still in operation at 24 S. 18th St.


The Henton-Knecht store was always a Conn and Pan-American dealer even into the 1950s. There are many brass instruments labeled "Benal" model, which is their two names combined, and probably all Conn or Pan-American stencil horns. They never would have made their own. These date to the 1920 to 1938 period.





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