Dolnet French

Baritone Saxophone from the French brand "Dolnet"

Condition:

- approx. from 1950s-60s
- pads in good used condition
- mechanics were adjusted

- saxophone was completely cleaned and got a new lacquer- pads were adjusted- original neck- comes with an old case for safe transportation
- playing as in Video

Brand:
Dolnet is a French saxophone brand model which has been getting steadily more popular. There is a good reason for this: the horns are solidly made, are quite jazzy and have a fairly good sound.

Dolnet was founded in 1880 and started manufacturing saxophones around 1888. 

There were two partners in the Dolnet company, going by the names of Messieurs Pigis and Lefevre; their workshop was situated at Mantes, the historical 'heart' of France's woodwind craft workshops, and fascinatingly, the home of the Selmer, Buffet Crampon, SML etc.There is much in common with Selmers in terms of technical points and general ease of action and feel.

It appears that Dolnet production parallels Buffet, SML and Couesnon production, more than Selmer: not only is the keywork design on early Dolnets similar to early SML's (and becomes similar to Buffet after about 1940), some of the Jean Cartier stencils have the beautiful Sparkle Lacquer that is most famously found on the Buffet Super Dynaction. The overall look is definitely influenced by (or influenced) Couesnon horns. All this makes me agree with David Hughes (an e-mailer): the Dolnets were produced until at least the mid-1980's, not the 1960's as many websites indicate (see also Saxophon-Service, which advocates an end date of 1984).

Video: