The Bassic Sax Blog

Archive for the ‘Pierret’ Category

Since launching the newly revised version of my site—bassic-sax.ca—I have been quietly adding pages to it. As of this this morning the main portion of my site contains 169 published pages, with another 32 in draft mode. But have no fear, there is a site map to help with navigation.

     Photo by Helen Kahlke

One of the areas that I have been working on extensively is the Pierret section of my site. Besides the Pierret information page, I have also added an extensive Pierret Gallery. This gallery features almost all of the models that have been identified so far by either saxophone historian Pete Hales, or myself.

The list of models in the Pierret gallery include:

• Artiste
• Artiste Competition
• Concerto
• Concerto with Virtuor
• Embassy
• Modele 1-7
• Modele 42
• Modele D’Artistes
• Olds Stencil Saxophones:

1. Parisian
2. Parisian Ambassador

• Oxford
• Santy Runyon
• Standard
• Super Artiste
• Unlabelled
• Vibrator
• “Corps Embouti”

     Source: eBay.com

I am still missing photos for many of the numbered models of Pierrets. Specifically, the ones that I don’t have photos for are: Modele 1, 2, 3, 4, & 7.

The other 2 identified models that I currently do not have any photos of are the Virtuor, and the Super 8. If you have any of these models—or another model of Pierret or Pierret stencil that’s not listed—and would like to share some photos, I would really like to hear from you. Thanks!

So if you are a fan of the Pierret brand of saxophone, I hope that this expanded section of my site gives you an interesting new resource to peruse.

Over the next little while I will write further articles which each note another brand of obscure, vintage saxophone that has its own section on my site. These articles will be published when I have the sections finalized enough to my liking. (I’m a wee bit anal.)

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

What’s going on? Is every Pierret owner selling their horn at the moment? It’s not uncommon to go for weeks, or in some cases even months, without seeing one of these French-made saxophones on eBay. Now they seem to be popping out of the woodwork like knots.

This particular Pierret I thought was of interest mainly because it’s a tenor, while most of the other ones we’ve seen recently have all been altos.

     Source: eBay.com

This sax would definitely be described as a player’s horn, since it has obviously been played a lot in its 50 or so year history.

     Source: eBay.com

The seller, Dave Wilson’s Musical Instruments, takes care describing this sax in great detail. It helps here that he is also a professional saxophonist.

Pierret “Super Artiste” Model Tenor Saxophone. Made in Paris, France. Read the Pierret story down below. Real interesting sax! A collector’s item? On the back above the serial number, #1985, it reads “Super Artiste”. It has a nail file G# key, just like the old Conn Chu Berry’s and 12 M’s as well as some of the German made horns. No rolled tone holes, however. I think this sax dates back to the Selmer or SML days of the 1950’s-1960’s. COMPLETELY AND NEWLY REPADDED (WITH SELMER STYLE PADS with flat Conn metal resonators), BY A MASTER REPAIRMAN with over 50 years experience repairing at the highest level. (Last year he repadded the great Harry Allen’s Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor sax.) The neck, as you see, has 2 patches on it, and has had further work done. Nonewithstanding this, it does play very well, with the characteristic vintage sweet but vibrant and resonant French sound. Some repair done on the bow. no other dents or dings, really. As you can see it is missing Alternate F# key guard. We have a Selmer one in stock, and can either put this in the case or resolder it for you. Money back if not happy with it.

Read about the Pierret saxophone below… [from saxpics.com]

___________________________________

“L. Pierret & Cie.” started making horns in 1906, per the New Langwill Index. They were a saxophone-only shop outside of Paris and made a variety of stencils for Olds, Paul Beuscher, Santy Runyon and others. Their chief designers appear to have been Henri & Roger Junck.
Some horns, particularly early models, are stamped (and I translate) “From the former workers of Millereau and Besson”. This MAY indicate that L. Pierret was formed from workers from these companies or was a wholly owned subsidiary or some such: we know, from the New Langwill Index, that Millereau was purchased by Selmer in 1931 (the correct spelling is in the PDF, if you want it) and that Besson was purchased by SML in the late 1940’s, so it’s not like Millereau or Besson “morphed” into Pierret.

Pierret stopped making horns around 1972. Some people have put forth the suggestion that Pierret really stopped producing horns around 1963 — which coincides with the last known Olds Parisian models — and all other instruments were serialized later and/or stamped with “Parisian Ambassador”. At the very least, Pierret’s last patent was in 1971.

Pierret had at least two “lines” of saxophone at any one time: “Standard” and … something else. The “Something Else” usually had additional keywork, such as the front altissimo F key and/or trill keys (generally altissimo D# and G#), and a microtuner neck. This construction paralleled Dolnet in that respect: you had the Bel Air model with the basic keywork and then you had the Royal Jazz editions with the wild trill keys.

However, the real difference seems to have been that the “Standard” models were not only considerably less expensive, according to the below 1952 catalog, but they were “junkier” — if one can say that the Olds models were “Standard” stencils (and I can’t prove that, yet).

If you get OLDER in the Pierret line, you also see instruments that have a range only to low B. This is not necessarily an indication of advanced age: it was a common practice among French (and German) manufacturers. The low B instruments were based on the A. Sax patents and were sold as cheaper “introductory” saxophones. This practice ended in the mid- to late-1930’s.

Allow me to also point out that Paul Beuscher and others that stenciled Pierret horns did not ONLY stencil Pierrets. There are, for instance, a LOT of Paul Beuschers that are Dolnets. Additionally, the Olds Parisian Ambassador MAY have had some Beaugnier models thrown in there: there are some with odd serial numbers, in the form of 01-23456 or 123456, and I haven’t seen pictures of these.

Another fun thing is that there are several individual variations of each horn. There are at least two models of Super Artiste, for instance. The things you need to look for are keyguards and keywork, particularly the G# cluster. My opinion? The ones to really look for are labeled “Artiste Competition” (or “Constellation”) and that have a Buffet SuperDynaction-style G# cluster.

Finally, there’s an EXCELLENT review of the Artiste Competition model HERE.

___________________________________ 

Pro horn or not? Unfortunately the answer seems to be yes and no, according to how late in the Pierret production it was made. There are quite a lot of Super Artistes about, and while all are decent horns, the later ones seem to me to be lighter, and generally inferior in construction – identical to a 1960’s model Olds Parisian (see Saxpics), and about the same quality.

The Super Artiste was around a long time – from at least 1952 (I have seen a 1952 catalogue with pictures which correspond to my Super Artiste tenor). The early ones have very distinctive keyguards which are fussy and quite easily damaged – they share these with previous Pierret models such as the later Modele 7s – and rather ‘art deco’ posts with a square section like on the ‘Competition’ model (see excellent article mentioned above). Although I have not weighed different models, earlier Pierret models are very heavy compared with many other makes including Selmer, and later models got lighter, which implies skimping on construction to save money. I suspect that the Super Artiste, the Artist, and the Competition models were produced alongside each other at various periods during the 1940’s – 1960’s. As I understand it, production ceased in 1972.

Sadly I have never found a serial number list for Pierrets, and neither have I ever been able to make any sense of the numbers which are sometimes (although not always!) engraved on various parts of the horn. There does not seem to be any particular sequence, unless perhaps it was model by model.

My opinion, for what its worth, is that if it is an older model of Super Artiste it is well worth keeping and enjoying. My S. Artiste tenor has a great big sound, very similar to my (no.1) Pierret ‘Vibrator’ tenor of around 1930. Personally I much prefer this sound to that of a Selmer (and also the price, of course!). If it is a later one, it could still be a very nice horn – with Pierrets it’s all about the sound.

        Source: eBay.com

The auction for this sax runs until February 21. The bids for this Pierret Super “Artiste” start at $500.00. At the time of writing, there were no bids yet on this vintage French saxophone.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

For a while there eBay had no listings for any of the obscure, vintage saxophones that I keep watch for. Then over the past couple of weeks, this changed. The most recent offering: a nickel plated, alto, “Corps Embouti” model Pierret. (BTW, according to Google translate, corps embouti means body stamped.)

     Source: eBay.com

The seller of this vintage sax describes it as follows:

Here is a very unique model Pierret alto sax in Silver plate, s/n 1940 Manufacture Speciale de Saxophones L.Pierret Paris “Corps Embouti”

If your not familiar with the Pierret brand they are very comparable to Selmer of the same vintage and probably the best French made

http://www.saxpics.com/pierret/index.htm

the saxaphone is in excellent conditon probly needs a few ujustments im not a musician player but friend of mine played it and he said that it is very good exept the photo with the arrow it is soldering the bar but dosnt effect playing. if any questions please ring me instead of e-mailing me i preffer bank deposit or paypal

bidders from international they welcome but please send me an e-mail for shipping cost

the countries varies australia pays 100 dollars for delivery and insurance and a tracking number

no case and no mouth pice the sax will be very well packaged thanks TEL NO. XXXXXXXXX

BUY NO $1800

        Source: eBay.com

I’m not sure about the finish being original. It is possible that this sax might have been replated at some point in its 80+ years.

This vintage Pierret is located in Australia, and therefore the auction is in Australian dollars. The starting bid for the sax is $850.00 AU. (Approx. $735.08 US according to eBay.) At the time of writing there were no bids yet on the horn. The auction runs until February 11.

I must admit, I’m a bit confused by the seller’s ad. Although he/she doesn’t have a Buy It Now option in the auction itself, I’m guessing that the “BUY NO” [sic] for $1800 AU ($1566.40 US, according to XE.com), is supposed to represent the amount that they’d be willing to sell it to you for. If that’s indeed that the case, to the seller I’d say: Good luck with that.

As the owner of a Pierret I’d love to see this “Corps Embouti” sell for $1800 AU, since that would mean my sax would be worth close to that as well. Now while recent sales of 1920s Pierrets have been in the $500 US range, nothing has come close to $1500 US.

Now if you decide you’d like to buy this “Corps Embouti”—or if you already have one—perhaps you’d like to add a Pierret business card with the words ”Corps emboutis” on it, to your collection.

     Source: eBay.com

Actually any Pierret owner might find this card a rather interesting collectible. The auction for it runs until February 14. Bids start at €9.00 ($12.30 US), and the Buy It Now price is €15.00. At the time of writing there were no bids yet on this business card.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.