Saxophones Sax valuation

[Bobby G]

Any recommendations for getting a sax valued online? I'm not after an exact valuation, more a ballpark figure, and preferably in quids! Cheers, Bob

 

[kevgermany]

look at the past ebay sales. It's about as good as it gets.

Or if it's for insurance look at the new price.

 

[Jamesmac]

As Kev mentions eBay, to find the past sales, go to advanced search, and tick the box near the bottom of the list.

 

[rhysonsax]

Or ask us here.

Rhys

 

[Pete Thomas]

Is this the Dolnet?

Which I thought might be £800 ish? Maybe I was a bit optimistic when i said that, though it all depends on condition. (And reputation of the seller 🙂 )

 

[Bobby G]

Is this the Dolnet?

Which I thought might be £800 ish? Maybe I was a bit optimistic when i said that, though it all depends on condition. (And reputation of the seller 🙂 )

Yes, it is the Dolnet. I need to do a bit of investigation on it (or put some pictures up on here if I can work out how to do it!), I have a feeling it's not a Belair which is the most valuable model (?) but it is in pretty good nick, obvious signs of wear where you'd expect it but no dents, and is very playable although no articulation on the l.h. pinky keys. I'm not playing this horn, as I use the YAS62 when I play alto, although mainly I am playing tenor these days so it's surplus to requirements

I also have a couple of iffy sops, one straight and one curved, that will be going under the hammer soon. Again, not playing them so surplus to requirements. I think I've also got a flute, very little used, knocking around somewhere...

 

[Bobby G]

OK, let's see if this works....

A few snaps of my old Dolnet......

any info on what model it is, how much it might be worth etc gratefully received. The only real ding on it is the one that can be seen on the crook, otherwise it's ok, just a bit of normal wear as you'd expect from a horn that has been dated to around the late 1940's

 

[old git]

As it is owned and played by the famous Bobbt G, must add a few bob.

 

[milandro]

always very difficult to date any Dolnet BUT this is certainly of an earlier type than most because of the bell to body brace and the absence of beads of any colour on the keys guards (there are red, black and mother of pearl ones).

It might be as old as the late ’30 (based on the engraving)

There are other elements that class this an earlier horn and not one that one could call a Bel Air.

The engraving is unusual and geometric, not the usual floral one of later types. The LH palm keys don’t have the squarish design of the later types. The LH pinky table is a completely different design of the Bel Air model and more similar to Noblet-Bueaugnier horns than Dolnets. The same can be said of the crook itself which has a brace(not present on regular Dolnets) reminiscent of Leblac-Pierret-Beaugnier.

The Black pearls look like they are a replacement and that could put off some potential buyers (not only because of the colour but also because often the pearl touches are replaced without taking the retainer rings off).

The ding on the crook can easily be taken out but it isn’t helping the value to see one.

Having said that this is a more interesting horn than most Dolnets Bel Air altos that so often I come across a dime the dozen here in the Netherlands. I definitely think that this is worth, to a Dolnet collector, a bit more because of said things.

My valuation is between 1000 and (if you are very lucky and can convince the punters that this is really something else) 1200€ overhauled and with all the dings addressed, more 800 to 1000€ with work to be done.

 

[Bobby G]

That's brilliant Milandro, thanks. Now, where are all these Dolnet collectors?

 

[milandro]

Well, this is the problem.......there aren’t too many of those “ Dolnet Collectors” around ( with cash to spare) but I am sure that if you offer your horn for sale (pointing out that this is NOT the bog standard Bel Air!) this horn will find a new owner.

How quickly this would happen in these crisis days depends on the interest that you are able to generate. I can guarantee that there aren’t too many of these horns around, this is for sure.

But rarity isn’t a guarantee of anything. You can have the rarest of possession but it is only worth something if someone else’s wants it too.

You can put it for sale here and perhaps our exchange of posts has already generated some interest but possibly the best thing to do is to put it on ebay with a reserve of 800€ and see if you find one of these collectors.

Now, if two people want it.........then you are talking!

 

[Pete Thomas]

Ok, so milandros' expertise seems to confirm that I was actually not so far out of the ballpark after all. Especially as there aren't that many Euros to the pound these days.

 

[milandro]

........... there aren't that many Euros to the pound these days.

Oy Vey!!!! :crying:........

 

[rhysonsax]

About five years ago I bought a Dolnet Bel Air tenor in decent playing condition for £275. I part exchanged it last year for the same amount.

I would say that £275 is low for a Bel Air, but the values being mentioned here seem high to me for an earlier model.

Rhys

 

[milandro]

it’s all in the eye of the beholder. I have bought Bel Airs altos for 250€ too, and more than once (one was the HP horn by the way!), but that’s for a horn that, as I said, is very common over here.


I have never ever seen a Dolnet with that engraving that OP has (and all the other things that I have commented about).


So, if one can find a collector of these things there is aways the possibility that they would pay. Again, find another..........!

 

[Bobby G]

With all that's been said so far, would you say £350-400 is too low, too high, or about right?

 

[milandro]

if you sell it on the open market as is probably too much for most buyers which will only see an unknown French saxophone, if , on the other hand you are presenting it to a qualified audience as a collectable saxophone you should get at least that!

 

[Bobby G]

I've literally just this minute been pointed in the direction of someone who may be interested. Head to Googlies jazz club and ask for Bugsy

 

[milandro]

break a leg, so to speak!

 

[old git]

break a leg, so to speak!

The CaSLM can offer you a quotation for that plus travel expenses.