Mark VI Serial Nr. >220800

High serial number yet nonetheless Mark VI?

As per the Henri SELMER “official” serial number list, the Mark VI was manufactured as of serial number 55201 (year of manufacture 1954) up to serial number 220800 (until 1973).

Occasionaly you see a SELMER Saxophone labeled Mark VI with a serial number higher than 220800. According to the list, it would not be a Mark VI.

There are 2 reasons for this:

1. The SELMER serial Number List does not indicate the exact year of manufacture => see also SERIAL NUMBER.
2. Seen on the updated version of a Saxophone model (e.g. the Mark 7 as “successor” of the Mark VI Tenor Saxophon with serial number 241xxx (!!), which doubtlessly exhibits all of the features of a Mark VI. Alto and Tenor Saxophones were manufactured singly as Mark VI up to 1975.
3. Soprano and Baritone Saxophones were not manufactured as Mark 7 (although there could very well be a few Mark 7 Baritone Saxophone prototypes in existence).
   Manufacture and labeling of both of these sizes as Mark VI continued up to ca. 1984. Hence, it is quite possible, for example, that a Saxophone labeled Mark VI 310xxx is indeed an authentic Mark VI – namely, as Baritone or Soprano Saxophone.
   Because SELMER only produced the Mark 7 as Alto and Tenor Saxophones, and these sizes comprised quantity-wise the greatest portion of the production, a commensurate indication in the official serial numbers table was done without.