Horn-u-Copia's Display of Makers

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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