Markings on Lawton Mouthpieces (1967 onwards)
The Lawton-Barton mouthpieces and the earliest Lawtons in the mid 1960s had slightly different markings on them that are described and shown on the pages devoted to those vintage models.
Since 1967 Lawton mouthpieces have been stamped on the side with markings that identify the maker’s name, the tip opening, the model and/or variant and sometimes the material.
Looking from the player’s perspective, the following information is stamped on the left side with a space between each part:
Maker’s Name: “LAWTON”
Tip Opening code: e.g. “7” or “7 STAR”
Chamber Model: no mark for the Plain (Standard) Model, “B” or “BB” or “BBB”
Variant code (if relevant): e.g. “R” for Reflector baffle, “S” for “High Resonance chamber”, “LW” for Long Window
For some models additional information might also be stamped on the right side:
Material: e.g. “SPECIAL” or “BRONZE” where the common models are made of Bell-Bronze
Special edition name: e.g. “ICON”
The end of the ligature thumb screw has lettering around the circumference: “LAWTON MOUTHPIECES ENGLAND”.
Lawton's STAR Marking
STAR marking (in capital letters rather than the star symbol, as used by several other mouthpiece brands) is used by Lawton to represent an intermediate tip opening, half-way between one number and the next. So 7 STAR indicates a tip opening half-way between 7 and 8.
From about 1974 the “plain numbers” (without a STAR) were used for the “Standard” model and the STAR marking was used only for the B (and later BB) models. However, Lawton would make any tip opening in either model to order.
Lettering Sizes
From 1967 Lawton mouthpieces were stamped with lettering approximately 2mm in height for all saxophone sizes (baritone, tenor, alto and soprano) and all materials. This was the letter size that appeared in the pictures in the original Lawton leaflet in 1967 and the same leaflet pictures continued to be used even as the lettering size on mouthpieces changed over time.
The following lettering sizes have been used:
Small (original): 2mm height and stamped deeply, “LAWTON” approximately 11.5mm long
Medium: 2.2mm height and shallower / finer, “LAWTON” approximately 13mm long
Large: 2.7mm height, “LAWTON” approximately 16mm long
A letter height of approximately 1.5mm seems to have been used on the ligatures for all saxophone sizes and at all periods of production.
Labels on Top of Boxes
Labels on End of Boxes
Labels on Boxes
Lawton mouthpieces were and are sold in black rectangular cardboard boxes. Slightly different textures of cardboard have been used at different periods.
One or two labels stuck to the top of the box identify the model and sometimes material (e.g. for ebonite, stainless steel or bronze).
The label on the box end has information handwritten on it to identify the size of saxophone, tip opening and sometimes variant or price.