selmer paris serial numbers bass clarinet

The existing serial number chart showed a range from to By simple subtraction, saxophones were allegedly built in A search of the actual shipping dates for this serial number range revealed the following.

The first phase of the research was to study the records from the beginning up to the end of the Mark VI era. Whether earlier notebooks were lost or were never kept is unfortunately unknown. The data started at serial and continued for over 75 years. In most cases, there was no mention of what model was being produced. The archive records contain four key elements. But, the fact that all the data still existed was like finding a treasure. Some were neat and detailed and others were nearly illegible and of course, it is all written in French. The archives are comprised of a series of very old and fragile notebooks, written by a variety of people, in a variety of handwriting styles. Once there, the daunting nature of the task became apparent. With a background in statistical analysis and an established record in the study of Selmer history, Douglas was able to secure access to these archives. It is well known that Selmer Paris possesses some archival records but they are not available to the public. Clearly the first step was to collect as much primary data as possible. Douglas Pipher decided to take on the challenge. With these questions in mind, the need for a fresh look became clear, to see if there was a way to measure the accuracy, or inaccuracy, of the existing chart. It seems unlikely that every new model was introduced exactly at the beginning of a new year. But there are problems with the existing chart, such as the timing of the introduction of the different models. Many saxophonists use it as the authority for determining when an instrument was made. The existing Selmer Serial Number Chart has been available on the internet for years.

With permission, we have printed the results of his research below.

Selmer paris serial numbers bass clarinet