Saxophones Pennsylvania Special Alto, Berg Larsen Precision 85 Hard Rubber Mouthpiece, Boosey & Hawkes Mouthpiece

[Ohhdysseus]

Hello 🙂 Greetings!

I’m new to the cafe, thank you for your warm welcomes.
I joined because I’ve recently bought a vintage Pennsylvania Special Alto and would like to ask the well-knowledgeable members here some questions so that I can know as much as possible about my baby.
It was advertised as from the 1920’s-30 and also came with a Berg Larsen Precision 85 Hard Rubber Mouthpiece and a Boosey & Hawkes mouthpiece from a similar period, with other extras such as a lovely Selmer strap and a very old hard case. I’m so happy to own this Sax, as before this I had a Sakusu Deluxe that I’d bought on finance and paid it off, played it for a few months to learn on but I really wanted my own special saxophone and leaped at the chance to own this beauty and I’m absolutely loving playing and learning everyday for 5-7 hours a day!

I have a few questions if someone could kindly help me please. Thank you.

1. Is this a Selmer Pennsylvania Special? Or a Kolhert? What’s the difference?
2. Am I able to know the exact date of the instrument by looking at the serial number?
3. The Berg Larsen Precision 85 Mouthpiece, I can’t find any valuation or specific date for this mouthpiece online, could someone help me value it please and tell me a little bit more about it please? (Under the 85 there is a bit more etched writing that I can’t make out, could someone help me if possible please?)
3.1 Also, the Boosey & Hawkes mouthpiece is hard to find online to date and value it, could someone help me with this too please?
I’ve attached images.. it will only allow me to place 3 images in this..
Any other info/history I would greatly appreciate as I’d love to know as much as possible about her! Thank you so much, I’m so glad to be part of this community and have a great weekend everyone!

Kind regards,

Odysseus.

 

[Ohhdysseus]

 

[Ohhdysseus]

 

[DavidUK]

Made by Kohlert for Selmer London it is a "stencil" horn.

Here's another I spotted for sale if someone else wants one...

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[Colin the Bear]

It's a good looking horn.

 

[jazzdoh]

I don't know about your horn, but your Berg Larsen mouthpiece is from 1940/50s, I've had a couple of these over the years, one alto and one tenor, they are good mpc's, as far as value it is difficult, Bergs a few years ago were quite desirable but the seem to have dropped in favour recently.

 

[Ohhdysseus]

I don't know about your horn, but your Berg Larsen mouthpiece is from 1940/50s, I've had a couple of these over the years, one alto and one tenor, they are good mpc's, as far as value it is difficult, Bergs a few years ago were quite desirable but the seem to have dropped in favour recently.

Thank you for the info I really appreciate it!

 

[Ohhdysseus]

It's a good looking horn.

Thank you!

 

[farina_man]

I've had a few of these - my first "proper" tenor was a Penn Special. They were made by Kohlert in Czechoslovakia in the late '30's and stencilled for Selmer as the latter's "second line" of saxes, replacing the (Selmer) Adolph Saxes which reviously fulfilled this role. They use Kohlert numbers, I believe. Yours is an earlier one, as it has Clap-hands bell keys - by about 1939 they were both on the right, like modern saxes. You find some of them with mother of pearl decoration to the LH pinky table as well as the RH side key touches - very attractive. They have rolled tone holes and are, like the Adolphes before them, high-quality horns which play well when properly set up. It looks to have had some sort of repair(?) because of the silver band around the neck receiver, but if it works fine don't worry - these horns aren't worth much anyway, so playability is far more important than originality! The B & H m/p probably isn't worth much, but may play OK if the tip's not too close, but the Berg is an early '40s/50s "Pat Pend" "Precision" model and quite sought after. I have sold alto and tenor versions of this in the past for silly money - much more than they're actually worth, although it might play OK. It looks like a nice horn....enjoy!

 

[Ohhdysseus]

I've had a few of these - my first "proper" tenor was a Penn Special. They were made by Kohlert in Czechoslovakia in the late '30's and stencilled for Selmer as the latter's "second line" of saxes, replacing the (Selmer) Adolph Saxes which reviously fulfilled this role. They use Kohlert numbers, I believe. Yours is an earlier one, as it has Clap-hands bell keys - by about 1939 they were both on the right, like modern saxes. You find some of them with mother of pearl decoration to the LH pinky table as well as the RH side key touches - very attractive. They have rolled tone holes and are, like the Adolphes before them, high-quality horns which play well when properly set up. It looks to have had some sort of repair(?) because of the silver band around the neck receiver, but if it works fine don't worry - these horns aren't worth much anyway, so playability is far more important than originality! The B & H m/p probably isn't worth much, but may play OK if the tip's not too close, but the Berg is an early '40s/50s "Pat Pend" "Precision" model and quite sought after. I have sold alto and tenor versions of this in the past for silly money - much more than they're actually worth, although it might play OK. It looks like a nice horn....enjoy!

View attachment 22081

farina_man, thank you so very much for the information and your insight! I very much appreciate it! The poster is a really COOL bonus!!!

 

[Ynot]

I have one of these Pennsylvania Specials that looks very similar to yours. Mine dates to 1934 according to the number.
I had it set up by a very good and experienced technician earlier this year. When I went to pick it up, he told me not to get tempted to buy a Selmer or the like, as this horn is every bit as good.
They can be very good horns!