I have tried to find serial number charts for Keilwerth saxophones on a number of occasions. Usually my attempts have netted me partial listings at best. More often than not there are years missing out of the chart, so its always a best guess.
Then this morning I happened to come across the most complete serial number chart of Julius Keilwerth saxophones that I have seen to date. This chart covers saxophones built by the J. Keilwerth company from 1925 through 2000. This chart also happens to correspond to the research conducted by German saxophone historian Uwe Ladwig.
Perhaps this last fact is not surprising, since the source for this J. Keilwerth information is the German language website Saxwelt. I liken Saxwelt to the English speaking website Sax On The Web—only Saxwelt is smaller in membership, and isn’t in English.
However, don’t let the fact that it’s a German website scare you off. The J. Keilwerth serial number chart does not require any foreign language skills. True the words serial number and production year are in German, but you’ll figure it out soon enough.
So if you’re looking to date your J. Keilwerth sax, check out Saxwelt’s serial number chart. Chances are you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.
Good morning! A KW SX90 s/n 98697…late 1982…Ponzol?
Hi Hellen. About 4-5 years ago I bought a tenor sax on Ebay from a Vancouver pawnshop. The sax was engraved “AWARD” Boosey and Hawkes. I think it was owned by a pro Elli . Guitar string wrapped where neck cork should be. I could never find out anything about the sax. Just wondering if it rang any bells for you. … STEPHEN.
Nope, that particular horn slipped past my radar screen I think. I don’t remember seeing it.
If you would care to send me some photos of it, I can see what I can sleuth out about it for you. Please make the photos as large and clear as possible, and send them to: bassic.sax.info@gmail.com
I have a Keilwerth Heritage Soprano Sax Serial Number 83745 and trying to find out when it was made?
Thanks in advance.
Joe
Thanks again for any help.
Does the serial # chart not help you? (It’s 1982 BTW.)
Hi. I have a “Jean Barre Artiste” alto sax that I have been trying to find more info on for many years. I acquired this horn when I started playing in about the 4th grade, which was around 1957-1958. Everything on the horn makes me believe it is a Keilwerth stencil by the pictures I’ve seen lately.
Do you have any info regarding the Artiste line of horns?
I thank you in advance for any information you may have.
Hi John. Welcome to my site.
JK did make some Jean Barre Artiste stencil horns. I do have a couple that I have managed to collect images from, in my website’s gallery (Bassic Sax Pix). That said, without seeing images of your horn, and without and without knowing its serial #, I can’t tell you for sure what you have.
If you’d like me to tell you know more about your sax, send me some photos. Here’s a page on my website that let’s you know what kind of photos allows me to help you the most. Send the photos to my Gmail account, and please don’t forget to include the serial #, or at least the first 2 or 3 digits of it.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen, any idea of the year/value of a Keilwerth tenor sax, serial 29475?
cheers!
David
Hi David. Welcome to my site.
Well both of these questions have been answered in the thread on SOTW you started about the sax, but I’ll throw my 2 cents worth into them here as well.
My friend Milandro was quite correct when he stated the horn’s vintage. According to the JK serial number chart that is linked to in the above article (did you read it/check it out BTW?) it was indeed made in 1957.
As to your tenor’s value. That I couldn’t tell you as easily as my on-line buddy JayePDX can—he’s a dealer, I’m not. He is giving you a general price, assuming nothing major is wrong with the horn. If you are serious about wanting to see how yours stacks up against others, I have an article that you can can use to determine the value of your specific horn. You can find the article here, on the main portion of my site.
Hope this info helps.
Regards,
Helen
I’m a single instrument flautist but have inherited a tenor “… made exclusively for H. Couf by Julius Keilwerth,” serial No. 76217. For some reason I’ve been unable to access the Keilwerth serial no. chart suggested and wonder if you can tell me anything about the likely value of this particular instrument? It was evidently presented (or sold) to my late cousin Roy Reynolds by Herb Couf during Roy’s seven-year stint (1971-77) as a featured soloist with Stan Kenton.
Hi there. Welcome to my site.
Sorry about that. I fixed the links. I’ve been meaning to do that for some time now, but keep forgetting. Saxwelt changed their website address structure, and didn’t put redirects on the pages. (That’s akin to moving and not giving the post office your forwarding address.)
In any event, the Herb Couf tenor that you inherited from your cousin was made in 1976. With regards to its value, I have a page on my website that will help you figure out its approximate value.
The sad thing—sad if you’re the seller—is that the prices of vintage horns is at nearly rock bottom prices at the moment. I’m seeing absolutely gorgeous, vintage horns sell for half of what they did pre-recession. Great if you’re in the market for a vintage sax. If you’re selling one however, obviously it’s not so good.
What are your plans for the horn? Are you just trying to determine the value out of interest? Or are you planning on selling it?
Maybe you might want to take it up as a double? There is always call for instrumentalists who can double. (I’m a big believer in keeping horns, which explains why I have too many of them.) 😈
So what year would a Keilwerth EX90 series III serial # 352861 be made?
Thanks
Gordon
Hi Gordon. Welcome to my site.
The serial number chart that I linked to—besides cutting off around 2000—is only for Keilwerth’s pro model saxophones. The EX is of course JK’s intermediate model, and the Series III had its parts made by Keilwerth in Germany, and was assembled in the Czech Republic by Amati.
I have not seen any serial number listings for JK’s intermediate horns—or those of any other manufacturer for that matter. You might want to check with some other EX owners on Sax On The Web. They might very well know. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the thousands of sax players on the site have researched the model, or have one that is close in serial number, and know the approximate year of production.
If it were my horn Gordon, that’s how I would start my research.
I hope this has helped.
Regards,
Helen
Many thanks Helen, will chase up from your info.
Thanks again
Gordon
I know this is entirely off topic, but I tried to check out the latest posts from work, only to find the site blocked as… pornography! Apparently Sonicwall thinks “sax” is close enough to “sex” to be censored. Thought that might please you. :devil1:
That’s too funny. Sax/Sex. Sure. I can see how a stupid net nanny could get confused. 😕
I’ve had problems when I go to renew my domain name. A few years ago I switched registrar companies, and the new company was not impressed. The person I spoke with on the phone didn’t hear me clearly—even though they were only a few miles away in Vancouver—and thought I said my domain name was bassic-sex.ca. Well you can imagine how that went.
I explained no, she misunderstood me, that it was a site about saxophones… You know… The musical instruments… SAX… Duh… Then she wanted to know why I had a spelling error in the first word of my my domain name… Ten minutes later I had satisfied her enough that she was willing to take my credit card info. (I’m sure she was carefully looking at my site while we spoke.) I’d be willing to bet no porn sites get signed up on her watch! :devil2: