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Selmer - Saxophone History

WOODWIND & BRASS LTD | BRANDS | Henri Selmer Company History and Instruments | Selmer - Saxophone History

Henri Selmer Company History

Henri Selmer - Selmer Saxophones

SELMER SAXOPHONE

"The name alone inspires reverence". It is generally agreed that Selmer saxophones made some of the very best horns of all time. Selmer saxophones have the only legitimate claim to be the direct successor of Adolphe Sax. The Selmer saxophone Company traces its roots back to the late 1800s. Two brothers, Alexandre and Henri Selmer graduated from the Paris Conservatory as clarinetists. At the time, musical instruments and accessories were primarily handmade, and professional musicians found it necessary to acquire skills allowing them to make their own accessories and repair and modify their own instruments. By 1900, Henri Selmer had gained a reputation for his reeds and mouthpieces and he opened a store and repair shop in Paris. He soon expanded into the construction of clarinets.

SELMER SAXOPHONES

Meanwhile, Alexandre Selmer had moved to the United States, performing as principal clarinetist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from 1895 to 1910. Soon after Henri Selmer began making clarinets, Alexandre Selmer opened a store in New York City to sell his brother's instruments and accessories in the US. The Selmer line of products gained a great boost in reputation and sales by winning a gold medal for their clarinets at the 1904 Worlds Fari in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1918, Alexandre Selmer returned to Paris to assist in the family business, leaving their US interests in the hands of their employee George Bundy. Bundy expanded the retail and distribution component of the business, carrying instruments from other companies such as The Vincent Bach Corporation, Martin and Ludwig-Musser. Bundy quickly decided to expand into flute manufacturing, and hired George W Haynes to design the Selmer flute. Selmer flute manufacturing briefly moved to Boston, Massachusetts, home to several reputable flute makers, to draw on the existing skilled labour pool there. Bundy also hired Kurt Gemeinhardt, a young craftsman from Germay with a growing reputation to assist in the design of Selmer flutes. By the early 1920s, Bundy was finding New York City too cramped for the growing company, and he moved the manufacturing facilites to Elkhart, Indiana, which was already home to several other instrument makers, and had a skilled labour pool from which to draw workers. The New York facility remained in operation as a retail store and distributor until 1951.

Selmer Saxophone Body Production

In the late 1920s, Bundy purchased the American business from the Selmer brothers. Though technically independent, the Henri Selmer Co. of Paris and Selmer USA Saxophones remained the exclusive distributors of each other's products. The French company concentrated on higher-quality, more expensive instruments for the professional musician, while the American company concentrated on mass-produced, less-expensive models for the student or amateur musician. These were often produced under the Bundy brand name. Growing industrial expertise in plastic throughout the 1940s spread to the still-small world of musical instruments. In 1948, Selmer produced a commercially successful molded-plastic clarinet, called the "Bundy Resonite 1400". WW2 brought a halt to the manufacture and import of the Paris instruments, and for a brief time Selmer saxophone plants were used almost exclusively for export packing as part of the war effort. The baby boom and an increase in school music programmes led to a substantial increase in the band and orchestral instrument business throughout the 1960s and 70s. Taking advantage of this growth spurt, Selmer Saxopophones began acquiring other instrument manufacturers, includint the Vincent Bach Corporation - brass instruments and accessories.

Many professional saxophonists agree that the best vintage saxophones were manufactured by the H. Selmer saxophone company in Paris, France. The reign of Selmer's domination of the professional saxophone market has spanned nearly 80 years. With humble beginnings in the early 1920's, Selmer Saxophones began producing limited numbers of high quality saxophones. The first model was simply called "Modele 22" and featured several finishes, sizes and engraving. Some of these horns were custom made for players in france and the U.S. The Modele 22 sported the engraved signature of Henri Selmer (complete with the 4 place, Dancourt, Paris address), sculptured braces, and occasionally decorative engraving. Some of the early horns were quite elaborate. I once had the pleasure of owning a gold plated, ornately engraved Modele 22 C tenor. This horn wound up with Ted Hegvik in Pennsylvania who collects C saxes.

Selmer Saxophone Bow Production

Selmer Saxophone

The next model that Selmer Saxophones officially produced was the "Modele 26." This model had a slightly less stuffy sound and featured an elaborite engraved trademark stamp for the Selmer company. Many of these horns were engraved, but far less elaborately than their earlier counterparts. There was a period of transition between the two models where some horns had no model number at all. The serial numbers of these horns is generally around the 10,000 mark. Experimentation would become more daring with the next two models. Selmer saxophone's next models were a mixture of concepts and design that would help them become the leader of the saxophone wars which were heating up through the 1920's saxophone craze. Professional players of the day called these horns Pea Shooters or Cigar Cutters (based on the unique octave key mechanism). While these horns were officially called Selmer Super Saxophones, the nicknames would become their name in the history books.

The next and final model for the 20's was the short-lived "Radio Improved" model. The differences between the Radio Improved and its predecessors are few. Most Radio Improved saxophones were either plated in Silver or Gold. Selmer's next saxophone took a quantum leap in design. So much so, that it left the rest of the saxophone world scrambling to complete with it. The Selmer Balanced Action would become the basic prototype for what is now considered the "standard" saxophone design. Radical changes included: bell keys placed on the right side of the horn with the rods running down the front of the horn instead of the side, radically redesigned octave key mechanism, a standard alternate front F key, and modern palm key design. The new Selmer also sported a mother of pearl G# key and a flat side key design. To top off this stunning work, Selmer had the USA assembled horns engraved by Conn's top instrument engravers. The result is a strikingly beautiful and facilitative horn.

Selmer Saxophone Key Production

Owners of these horns seldom part with them! As Selmer rode the tide of their new model, their development team was busy trying to improve the design of the new horn. Some of these early balanced actions had and inch-tall octave vent on the neck that looked like a tea kettle. Others had 3 octave keys operated by one mechanism! Selmer even produced a few Soprano and Baritone prototypes, but for the most part, production was limited to the Alto and Tenor.

Selmer Saxophone Crook Production

The next model was a limited success and saw very few horns in production. This was the Dorsey Model, named after Selmer afficianado, Jimmy Dorsey. These horns were produced between the 26,000 and 27,500 serial range. Selmer took a "retro" approach to this horn. It was essentially a Balanced Action body with Super model keys. Selmer's next models were blurred into each other. Research and development were in full swing, so no official model name was assigned. The serial ranges are the only way to define what type of horn it is, although many players group these (28,000-50,000) horns as Super Balanced Actions, or simply Supers. In my opinion the horns produced between 28,000 and 32,000 are the best of all of the pre-Mark VI horns. My Alto (serial number 28,164) plays incredibly well in tune, and has a rich, resonant sound. These horns had pictoral scenes engraved on the bell, refined action and a slightly darker tone than earlier balanced actions. The horns produced after the 32,000 range lost the pictoral scene and gained rod guards on the back of the horn. Alto saxophones produced in this range had a single bell guard instead of two separate ones.

The next official Selmer release would change the history of the saxophone and the way it is played forever. In 1956, the advertisements said it all: NEW... MARK VI UNQUESTIONABLY SELMER'S GREATEST SAXOPHONE. The Selmer Mark VI took the saxophone world by storm. Cited from: A Short & Incomplete History of Selmer Saxophones by Jason DuMars

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Henri Selmer Saxophone Information

Selmer Saxophones Models and Serial Numbers

Selmer Gold Plated Cigar Cutter Detail

This is a brief summary of the different models of Selmer saxophone, and the relevant serial numbers.

It also gives a rough guide to the amount of money you might be expected to pay. Prices given are in Dollar (USD) and relate to buying the saxophone in America rather than the UK.

SELMER MODELE 22 750 – 4450 - The earliest examples are stamped Serie 22. and have a unique side Bb mechanism. Add 20% for these. Add 15% for silver, 25% for gold plate. Soprano $1500, Alto $1200, Tenor $1400, Baritone $1800.

SELMER MODELE 26 4451 – 11950 - Basically the same horn as the 22. Similar adjustments for finish. Soprano $1500, Alto $ 1200, Tenor $1400, Baritone $1800.

SELMER SUPER 11951 – 18700 - These come in three types: New Largebore (11951 –13000); Cigar Cutter (13,000 – 17,000), and Super (17,000 – 18,700). These are the first horns that really sound like Selmers. The differences in the variations are pretty minor, mostly in mechanism. Much better horns than the 22’s and 26’s. Some of these are beautifully engraved (add 10%). Silver is not uncommon (add 15%), gold a little more scarce (add 20%). Soprano $1500, Alto $ 2000, Tenor $ 2400, Baritone $ 2800.

SELMER RADIO IMPROVED 18701 – 21750 - This is essentially a renamed Super with different engraving. They do play well, and you sometimes see them in silver (add 20%) and occasionally gold ones. Alto $ 2400, Tenor $ 2900.

Selmer Gold Plated Cigar Cutter

Selmer Super Balanced Action Alto Saxophone

SELMER BALANCED ACTION SAXOPHONE 21751 – 35800 - There is a very good reason that demand (and prices) for these horns is so high: although not without their quirks, these are wonderful instruments. The later examples have better intonation in the upper end than the earlier examples. They are often beautifully engraved. Silver examples bring about a 20% premium; gold plate about 30% more. Alto $ 3400, Tenor $ 5000, Baritone $ 4500.

SELMER SUPER BALANCED ACTION 35801- 53200 - Almost perfection ! Better feel and intonation than the Balanced. The engraving is usually not too elaborate. Alto $4600, Tenor $5500, Baritone $6500 There are a few low A baritones.

SELMER MARK VI 53201 - 236000 - Nothing compares to the Selmer Mark VI. Lots of minor variations along the line: necks; engraving; side key attachment etc., but even the worst of them is not bad. I’ve always thought that horns without the optional high F# key played a little better. There seems to be more demand for the "five digit" horns, and some snobs reject the higher numbered examples. More than with any other model, condition is everything. Silver plate commands a 20% premium; gold a 30% premium. It’s important that the serial numbers on the neck match the body. Sopranino, soprano, baritone, and bass Mk VI’s were made until the introduction of the Super 80 series. Horns made for the European market are often unengraved, and lacquered examples may have silver plated keywork - Sopranino $3000, Soprano $3000, Alto $ 6100, Alto Low A $ 5000, Tenor $ 7000, Baritone Bb $7000, Baritone low A $7200.

MARK VII 236000 – 315000 - The Mark VI was an impossible act to follow. The VII was rejected by the Selmer faithful. I think the ones below around 275000 are good horns, and that you should be careful above that number. Silver plated ones bring 20% more, I’ve never seen a gold plated one. Engraving is uncommon above 275000. These horns can be a real bargain when you find a good one! Alto $2000, Tenor $2700.

Selmer Super 80 Alto Saxophone

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WOODWIND & BRASS LTD | BRANDS | Henri Selmer Company History and Instruments | Selmer - Saxophone History

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