Hohner Brochure – circa 1950

Two things immediately jump out at me on this page

1. The promoted horns do not offer a high F# option. Obviously this feature came later in the President’s production run. The earliest example I have encountered thus far is tenor 4549, which is circa 1955. 
2. Was anyone else struck by the fact Hohner felt the need to note that the President had an automatic octave key? President production began at Hohner—under the guidance and watchful eye of Max Keilwerth—in 1949. Automatic octave keys were invented by A. Lecomte and Co. in 1888, and were standard on German horns since what, 1920 or so? I have not seen a MK horn without an automatic octave key.

Maybe it’s kind of a lost in translation issue. (Like so many other things in this brochure; for example, shake = trill.) German saxophones were among the most advanced horns on the planet. To have to advertise 1 instead of 2 octave keys seems a bit odd to say the least IMO.