Circa 1925 photograph with interior view of the original Coon-Sanders Novelty Orchestra seated and posed with their instruments. Pictured left to right: Nick Musolino, Pop Estep, Joe Richolson, Joe Sanders, Carleton Coon, Bill Haid, John Thiell, Orville Knapp, and Harold Thiell.
Circa 1923 photograph of the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks posed at the Plantation Grille, Muehlebach Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri. Pictured standing is Carleton Coon and Joe Sanders; seated from left is Kohlman, Nordberg, Estep, Williams, McLean, and J. Thiell.
Circa 1929 photograph of the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks at The Nighthawk, a restaurant in Chicago, IL. Identified from left: Elmer Krebs, bass; Joe Sanders, piano; Carleton Coon, drums; Russ Stout, banjo; Joe Richolson, trumpet; Harold Thiell, reeds; Bob Pope, trumpet; Floyd Estep, reeds; Rex Downing, trombone; John Thiell, reeds.
Circa 1930 photograph of the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks at the Terrace Room in the New Yorker Hotel, NYC. Pictured are top row from left: Pope and Richolson; middle row from left: Krebs, Downing, H. Thiell, and Stout; front row from left: Sanders, Coon, Estep, and J. Thiell. An NBC microphone is soon on a stand near them.
Circa 1920 photograph of Coon-Sanders Novelty Orchestra, Gayety Theatre Bldg., Kansas City Missouri. Pictured are Joe Sanders at the piano and Carleton Coon by smaller drum with other members not identified. It is believed to be an early group photograph, although probably not the first lineup of the orchestra.
Alto saxophone owned and played by Henry Franklin "Buster" Smith. Smith played with the Blue Devils before co-founding the Buster Smith-Count Basie Band of Rhythm. This instrument was sold under the "American Professional" brand name, but was produced by either Martin or Conn.
