Hawkes & Son XX Century Alto Saxophone – 1920s – Silver Plate – New Pisoni Pads
A beautiful and unusual 1920s Hawkes & Son XX Century alto saxophone, finished in silver plate and featuring particularly attractive period engraving.
The saxophone and crook are both marked Low Pitch, and the instrument has been tested accordingly.
This example has undergone an extensive restoration, including a complete new set of Pisoni Premium Deluxe pads, professional dent work and repair of the bell stay.
Restoration work
The saxophone was completely stripped down and carefully restored, including:
A considerable amount of work has gone into preserving this unusual early British saxophone and returning it to playing condition.
Pads and setup
The new Pisoni pads fitted to this instrument are somewhat thicker than the pads it previously carried.
As a result, the saxophone currently benefits from a slightly firmer key touch than a modern instrument, particularly in the lowest register. It also responds noticeably better once the instrument has been played and warmed through.
I want to make this clear rather than present a nearly century-old saxophone as though it behaves exactly like a modern Yamaha or Selmer.
Please watch the playing demonstration, which shows the actual instrument being played in its present setup.
Condition
Cosmetically, this is a particularly attractive vintage saxophone.
The silver-plated finish has cleaned up beautifully and the XX Century engraving remains exceptionally appealing.
There are some age-related marks around the bell, visible in the photographs, together with the normal evidence of use expected on an instrument of this age.
The bell stay had previously been broken and an unsuccessful attempt had been made to repair it. This has now been professionally cleaned up and properly soldered by a brass technician.
The octave-key fitting on the crook also appears to have been resoldered at some point in the instrument's past. It is not the neatest historical repair cosmetically, but it is secure and functioning correctly.
Please study the photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description.
Playing character
The XX Century is a fascinating early saxophone and feels quite different beneath the fingers from a modern instrument.
Once warmed up, this example produces a wonderfully characterful vintage sound and plays throughout its range, as demonstrated in the accompanying video.
It would particularly suit a player or collector who enjoys early saxophones and appreciates their individual character rather than someone looking for modern keywork and ergonomics.
Case
The saxophone comes with the more modern hard case shown in the photographs.
The case is in good functional condition and provides considerably better protection than many surviving period cases.
Included
The sale includes:
The mouthpiece, harness and stand shown in the photographs or playing demonstration are not included.
Play-testing before purchase is very welcome and strongly encouraged, particularly with an instrument of this age.
A rare opportunity to own a beautifully engraved Hawkes & Son XX Century Low Pitch alto saxophone, extensively restored with new Pisoni Premium Deluxe pads and significant mechanical work already completed.
Collection, inspection and play-testing welcome.
Leak-tested and played in before listing.
On all restoration work carried out here.
UK and worldwide, or collect in person.