A SUPERB SELMER MARK VI TENOR, NUMBER 97,258. “9.9 on a scale of 10.0”.
 
Have a look at the photos, if you would.  The instrument has come to us in nearly perfect condition.
 
French bright silver plate finish is  99.9% original.  See photos, please.
 
Very good original bright (not satin) silver,  without engraving.
 
Note the key-touches for the LH pinky keys and the thumb-rest….no scratches, no plating wear.
 
We disassembled the instrument, gave it a very careful bath (cold water, of course), then replaced ALL pads and corks.  The original pads had NO washers, so we fitted the new pads with 1960’s USA-style stainless-steel resonators.

*** PLEASE NOTE... ALL REPAIRS, ALL RESTORATION WORK  NOW COMPLETE.SEVERAL HOURS SPENT WITH A SIX INCH BURNISHER TO SMOOTH OUT MINOR SCRATCHES.  SUPERB EXAMPLE, NOW READY!
 
A note about the silver-plate.    This superb alto was made for the French market and came to us from a pro-player in Gascony.  Silver plate was, at the time, the preferred finish for Selmer saxes.  We’ve seen hundreds, can attest to the fact that silver, although unusual in the States, was the finish that was, in Paris, usually electro-plated over the brass.  
 
*** We've been told that the previous owner was a semi-pro player who owned TWO Mark Six tenors:  this one, #97,258 and an a "daily driver" #162,525.  The latter instrument was the one he used for most jobs and it seems he had ALL the original finish removed.  But the silver instrument, number 97,258 was only for special occasions. 
 
*** The "daily driver", #162,525 will be for sale in late November, probably with no lacquer, but with all new pads and corks.  Watch for our Reverb posting or write us for more info.
AND....
 
However, there’s going to be “experts” out in Sax-O-Land that insist that our (nearly) pristine tenor is a replate, the silver NOT original. 
 
To the above, we propose you come for a visit to our small workshop in Wichita.  Jess, my best woodwind tech, has done dozens and dozens of these and the only way, the best way is to use a six-inch hand-burnisher use very strong fingers and carefully burnish the silver plate back to perfection.  You can’t do it with a nickel-plated sax, you can’t do it with a lacquered sax.
 
But if you’re good at it, if you have strong fingers and if you’re patient, six or eight hours after the start, you can make a bright-silver sax look again like new.
 
No…not a replate…It’s a superb, original, complete artist-quality sax that has now returned to its original glorious specs!
 
But if you’re looking for a PERFECT M6, this one’s just as close as it gets.  I recommend it highly.
 
Sax questions?  Write me!  Nope, I’m not a top concert player, but I’ve tooted on thousands (literally) of Selmer saxes and do believe I can offer a candid and honest opinion on any saxophone subject.
 
If you’re looking for a PERFECT M6, this one’s just as close as it gets.  I recommend it highly
Respectfully,   GR
 
HG