{"id":51227,"date":"2021-11-04T08:21:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T15:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/?p=51227"},"modified":"2024-06-27T10:10:39","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T17:10:39","slug":"vintage-sax-perfect-first-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/2021\/vintage-sax-perfect-first-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Vintage sax: Perfect First Class"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past few days, as I was re-tooling both landing pages for this Bassic Sax Blog, and its corresponding Bassic Sax website<\/a>, I looked at what the most popular topics have been that attracted people to my site over the years. Without a doubt, the top 3 global categories that cause people to visit my site are: bass saxophones, various saxophone-shaped “things”, and of course, vintage saxophones.<\/p>\n

So for those of you who like to see vintage saxophones of all stripes, and you armchair, vintage sax researchers, today I have a real headscratcher for you: A vintage German sax that sent me down many hours worth of rabbit holes. In the end I’m still not sure who really made it. <\/p>\n

Last weekend on the German eBay<\/a> site, an alto saxophone popped up with bell engraving that reads: Perfect First Class FR \/ Ant. Thon Slany. <\/p>\n

\"Perfect<\/a>
Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Perfect<\/a>
Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No amount of Googling, searching in German saxophone forums, or searching in German saxophone books, has turned up any information on a company or person by the name of Ant Thon Slany, Atton Slany, or any combination thereof.<\/p>\n

I’m also not sure what that engraving is behind after “THON”. Is it a U? Is it a II? Does it matter at all? <\/p>\n

What exactly is a Perfect First Class saxophone?<\/h3>\n

The seller describes it like this:<\/p>\n

Sch\u00f6nes gebrauchtes Alt Saxofon, bezeichnet mit “Perfect First Class FR \/ Ant. Thon Slany 7824BR” das Mundst\u00fcck ist offensichtlich original zu dem Instrument dazugeh\u00f6rend. Es ist mit “Consul Fabrication Artistique” bezeichnet. (Bitte beachten Sie das Forum vom Musikinstrumenten Museum Markneukirchen) Das Instrument ist in sch\u00f6ner vintage Erhaltung mit den Zeichen der Zeit. Es muss sicherlich \u00fcberholt und neu bepolstert werden. Teilweise ist das Instrument etwas abgegriffen. Der Koffer zeigt Gebrauchsspuren.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Helen translate says:<\/p>\n

Nice used, alto saxophone, engraved “Perfect First Class FR \/ Ant. Thon Slany 7824BR”. The mouthpiece is obviously original to the instrument. [Obviously how?] It is stamped “Consul Fabrication Artistique”. (Please note the Forum from the Musikinstrumenten Museum in Markneukirchen.) [Been there. Done that. Found nothing of value. YMMV.] This instrument is in nice vintage condition with the features of the times. It will surely need to be overhauled and repadded. [Part of an overhaul last time I checked.] Parts of the instrument’s finish is worn. The case shows signs of use. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At this point I should note that the seller is known to sell obscure, vintage saxophones from the German-speaking regions of Europe. Sadly, their knowledge of these horns is less than stellar. So began my journey down the rabbit holes…<\/p>\n

In Faszination Saxophon: Der Saxophonbau Auf Deatschsprachigem Bebiet<\/em>, G\u00fcnter Dullat discusses Perfect First Class saxophones. According to Dullat:<\/p>\n

At least some (probably all) of the saxophons sold by [Otto] Riedl under his own name with the trademark PERFECT were bought from Hess Nachf. (q.v.) in Klingenthal. <\/p>\n

Example of engraving on the bell:<\/p>\n

PERFECT<\/p>\n

and beneath it, an elaborate engraving showing a harp and an enweaved monogram R. Beside this are the words<\/p>\n

FIRST CLASS 1<\/sup><\/a> …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So a few points: <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The description of the engraving sound familiar? It describes exactly what is on the bell<\/a> of the eBay horn. <\/li>\n
  2. Perfect First Class was a trademark that belonged to Otto Riedl.<\/li>\n
  3. Herr Dullat mentions Hess Nachf. Does this sound familiar? If you’ve been reading my articles for a few years, you might remember this one about Hess saxophones<\/a>, and it even shows an Otto Riedl saxophone that was for sale at the time. <\/li>\n
  4. Hess was NOT a manufacturer of saxophones, but rather got them from other German saxophone manufacturers. <\/li>\n
  5. In other words, the saxophone currently for sale on eBay would have started out like this:\n
      \n
    1. Person or company Y orders saxophones from Riedl.<\/li>\n
    2. Riedel then in turn places an order with Hess with company Y’s named stencilled on the bell.<\/li>\n
    3. Hess then turns around and orders those horns from manufacturer Z. <\/li>\n
    4. Manufacturer Z then produces horns with company Y’s  engraved on the bell. (In this case, presumably Ant. Thon Slany.)<\/li>\n
    5. The completed horns are shipped from manufacturer Z to Hess. <\/li>\n
    6. From Hess these horns get sent on to Riedl.<\/li>\n
    7. Then Riedl sends the horns on the original ordering company Y.  <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If your head is doing this \"\" let’s give you a break, and take a look at some pretty sax pictures. <\/p>\n

      The photos show a vintage sax in very good condition for its age. It appears to be plated with nickel silver, and has a mishmash of features we see in horns from the German-speaking regions of Europe.<\/p>\n

      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
      \"Source: <\/a>
      Source: rechtschreibfeler on eBay.de <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

      Questions, questions, and even more questions<\/h3>\n

      The photos leave me with a number of questions. Questions like:<\/p>\n