SELMER H. Selmer Signature stencil nickel plate tenor sax (Serial Number: 249) Back to model

This is the earliest known example of a Selmer Paris saxophone. Its a Bb tenor saxophone with serial number 249. Its in the original nickel plate and engraved only with the name H. Selmer Paris 249 . This saxophone is part of the Saxquest Museum collection of instruments.

Although the precise manufactured date is not known, analysis of the mechanisms and build show that it was made sometime before 1907 in Adolphe Sax Jr.'s (Adolphe Edouard Sax 1859-1845) 51 Rue Blanche factory in Paris.

The sax is only keyed down to low B and features the double octave mechanism. There are no rollers of any kind and the key touches are all metal. In fact, there are only 2 major improvements this sax has over that of the original Adolphe Sax design. First, the upper and lower stacks are each hindged on a single rod. This alligns the stack posts allowing them to be attached by rib construction as opposed to being soldered directly to the body tube. Second, this sax has been equipped with three side keys due to the addition of the side C key.

Unfortunately, this particular instrument is currently missing the keys and posts for the double octave key mechanism. The Saxquest shop will one day remake these keys and restore this instrument to playing condition.

Manufacturer: SELMER
Model: H. Selmer Signature stencil
Date Manufactured: 1904-1910
Serial: 249
Contributed By: saxquest.com