Saxophones Oldest Saxophone Here?

[jcn664]

Just for fun, I was wondering who has the oldest saxophone in the cafe. I promise that it is not me (1960, 1970). If you have it (or even one older than, say 1930), what are your thoughts about it? I think one still in working condition and not is use as a table lamp would be a good standard.

Hello, sorry for late, but who has the oldest horns, probably it's me
I share two picture about this old,
Probably the oldest is my C soprano by Adolphe Sax (father) with removable neck,
It has really 173 years old today,
made between ending of the years 1853 and begin 1854,
Only 3/4 maybe was ever made
if you want more picture, i can sharing you

 

[ESJohn]

Probably the oldest is my C soprano by Adolphe Sax (father) with removable neck,
It has really 173 years old today,

Looks better than many saxes 20 or so years old. How does its playing compare to modern horns? Thanks for the posting!

 

[jcn664]

Looks better than many saxes 20 or so years old. How does its playing compare to modern horns? Thanks for the post

it plays good in thune in majority, it had problem of three note : the D with octave keys are high, and G octave key, and after low C and low B are so low but the problem is pad are not good condition, it would be really have good repad.

 

[Keshr]

That is a beautiful horn. It looks fun to play.

I only have 3 saxes now, the 1923-4 C melody, a 1938 Holton 204 ResoTone alto, and a 1975-6 Yamaha YAS 21. None of those are old.

 

[mark_addy]

Goodness, that's something old. Now I am coming in a poor third (or worse) - I have a 1918 Conn NW baritone in regular service; almost a museum piece, but still a useful, was very cheap, horn. It's one of the USQMC ones, so an army-surplus saxophone, which seems quite funny.

 

[Grumps]

I have a 1918 Conn NW baritone in regular service; almost a museum piece, but still a useful, was very cheap, horn.

I have one of those as well from around then. I take it you use a big fat pickle-barrel for a mouthpiece?

I have a Buescher soprano from around 1917.

 

[mark_addy]

I have one of those as well from around then. I take it you use a big fat pickle-barrel for a mouthpiece?

It was very cheap indeed, and I treated it to a set of pads and an 'overhaul' in a shop (so I got some outside help with it). It played sharp (I think I had a Selmer HR mouthpiece on it) and the repair man soldered about 1/2" of copper water pipe onto the end of the crook and re-corked it. I now use a metal Link of no great age, and it plays in tune (I use it in a big band). I don't know how much effort I am putting in with my lip to make it do that, because it's the only baritone I have played. Octave F and G take a bit of concentration to keep in line with everything else, but apart from that it seems OK.

 

[Grumps]

It played sharp...

Yeah, I used an old Woodwind Co. mouthpiece on mine at one point to keep it from playing too sharp, but eventually found an extended shank RPC that is open enough for my preference, plays with a bite and keeps the horn in tune. Any modern styled mouthpiece... and yeah, even a Selmer or Link... is going to play sharp on these horns. Adding on to the neck is one way to go about it, but I went the other route finding a better mouthpiece match.

 

[jcn664]

with my adolphe sax, i have all original set up

 

[LostCircuits]

I have a 1917 Conn NW alto (formerly owned by Dave Edwards / Lawrence Welk) 1915 Martin sop, 1898 Conn alto ~ 450 Hz pitch and an 1887 Evette Schaeffer alto (needs complete restauration)

I just played the 1898 Conn two nights ago against a backing track adjusted for the higher pitch (MIDI keyboard) and it sounds gorgeous.

 

[PigSquealer]

I have a King C melody with serial 45xxx that puts it between 1919-1920, it's the one you see on my an avatar.

45xxx is a 1922

 

[PigSquealer]

Conn C 1919
Martin C 1915-16
Selmer New York C 1918-19
King C 1918-19
Altos a few 1918-1920 Buescher
In Brasswinds I have some from 1910-1919
I’ll have to find my inventory list but I think there’s a good 40+ that predate 1930.

1916 Conn NW1 tenor

 

[jcn664]

@ESJohn in three days, i go on Rouen in Calvados (France) to finished playing one Adolphe Sax Probably 1858

Probably, because it was not saxophone for sale and staying in the private Adolphe sax at this century's,

Adolphe sax made this horn, it reworked for ???? We never know why, and it kept this horn in this own collection

I Will send picture this horn when i will have this (normally in three days) if you want to see, i will take picture the C soprano With the Bb soprano Adolphe sax of the same period 1853-1854 against 1858 probably for my new horns

 

[jcn664]

@ESJohn Dans trois jours, je vais à Rouen, dans le Calvados (France), pour terminer de jouer un saxophone d'Adolphe, probablement de 1858.

Probablement parce qu'il ne s'agissait pas d'un saxophone à vendre et qu'il restait dans la collection privée d'Adolphe Sax au XXe siècle,

Adolphe Sax a fabriqué ce saxophone, il l'a retravaillé pour un prix inconnu, et il a conservé cet instrument dans sa collection personnelle.

Je vous enverrai une photo de ce saxophone dès que je l'aurai reçu (normalement sous trois jours). Si vous souhaitez le voir, je prendrai une photo du soprano en do avec le saxophone soprano en si bémol d'Adolphe de la même période (1853-1854) comparé à celui de 1858, probablement pour mes nouveaux instruments.

I Will share picture with you, when i will have this horns

 

[kamak]

Oldest I have now is my 1924 Martin Handcraft tenor.

I just today sold my 1923 Lyon and Healy C-Melody (Buescher).

Far newer than these that @jcn664 has! How awesome!

 

[r. giuseppe]

My oldest sax is my NWII alto from 1925 but it obviously can’t compete here. My oldest clarinet is probably my Selmer Albert from 1919 (that possibly went through Henri’s hands in Paris before making its trip to Louisiana). Also too young to compete…

 

[PigSquealer]

1903-04 Evette & Schaeffer Apogee tenor I think is currently my oldest sax.

 

[Colin the Bear]

My oldest is a silver plate1920's Martin handcraft. I bought it to restore it but it rattled in the post and now I'm scared of it. 😳

 

[jcn664]

@ESJohn Probably the second OLDEST horn in the cafe, i win first place and second place ahahahah

Adolphes Sax soprano Bb 1858 AIS

Owner is Adolphe Sax himself, it's Probably prototype, experimental horn and it was no for sold, Adolphe Sax kept this horn in this collection

Explaining :

The sceal AS is for original Adolphe sax but selling by the company

The sceal AS with writing A I S (the importance is the I between A and S) is only for private Adolphes sax horn, and prototype/experimental,

I think it's prototype because AIS and second time the writing in bell 85, 2-1858 is very not current in horns. It's pratically write only on prototype or experimental

Maybe exposition horns but i don't believe it write that for démonstration,

 

[jcn664]

@ESJohn Probably the second OLDEST horn in the cafe, i win first place and second place ahahahah

Adolphes Sax soprano Bb 1858 AIS

Owner is Adolphe Sax himself, it's Probably prototype, experimental horn and it was no for sold, Adolphe Sax kept this horn in this collection

Explaining :

The sceal AS is for original Adolphe sax but selling by the company

The sceal AS with writing A I S (the importance is the I between A and S) is only for private Adolphes sax horn, and prototype/experimental,

I think it's prototype because AIS and second time the writing in bell 85, 2-1858 is very not current in horns. It's pratically write only on prototype or experimental

Maybe exposition horns but i don't believe it write that for démonstration, View attachment 36950View attachment 36951