Expert: Kenton Scott - 1/25/2006

Question
Hey Kenton, I found an old soprano sax at a flea market and I am looking for info on it. It has J. GRAS, 16 PLACE D'ARMES, CALAIS stamped on the bell. On the bottom thumbrest face it has ND stamped and on the top of the thumb rest A is stamped, there are no other markings. It plays from B to E flat, has soldered tone holes, no mother of pearl or plastic anywhere, no lacquer , 2 octave keys, the pinkie keys are round not flat. It plays close to the key of B flat although a little flat, I have room in the mouthpiece to shave off 1/8 and it would play in tune. I have found a little on Gras in Lille and in Paris, also that Conn might have made a few sopranos in A. Thanks for your help, John

Answer
You say it has a double (i.e. manual octave keys?)  

OK, well first of all I'm no expert on saxophones (I know a bit more about brass instruments).  

But, I happen to have an 1898 Conn Baritone sax that also has manual octave keys.  I'm not sure when they got the idea to make the octave key automatic.  But that plus the fact that it plays flat would indicate that it was made right around the turn of the century.  (They hadn't established a standard pitch yet and there were different high and low pitches.)   So, I would suspect that it was intended to be a Bb not an A instrument.

Like you I don't find anything on J Gras in Calais.  But, it seems that the history of the several factories called Gras is a bit foggy.  They seem to have been located in a number of locations.

kms