Malerne SOP

[buddrobroy]

I have an opportunity to purchase a malerne soprano. Serial#7253. Company went out of business in 1974. I cannot find a serial number listing,or comments regarding their horns.It was made in paris. Does anyone have any experience with this brand?

[tinpalaceroach]

it could possibly be a SML PARIS SAX. THE M IS MALERNE. good quality if you can get it!

[retread]

The M in SML stands for Marlerne? I remember it as something else, but can't spell in English so I won't attempt French.

[Jack W.]

I think the M stands for Marigaux, maker of fine oboes to this day. Not that I know a word of French either. :o

That being said, and not knowing anything else either, I still think that the horn being an SML stencil is an awfully good guess. It could also be made by Leblanc or Buffet. Malerne made (or stencilled) an awful lot of clarinets and bass clarinets, which are commonly found on eBay.

To my knowledge, David Spiegelthal is our resident expert on Malerne clarinets, so hopefully he'll show up here.

[Paul Coats]

Malerne is the region in France where SML, Selmer, Leblanc, etc are all located. No, they are not in Paris, though that is marked on the horns.

From people I have talked to with Malerne sopranos, they like them very much.

Malerne was a small French company, like SML, but no, not an SML. These instruments from SML, Buffet, Malerne, and others do bear a striking similarity but they are separate companies.

SML is Strasser, Marigaux, and LeMaire--as in Marigaux oboes.

[Pinnman]

Strasser Marigaux Lemaire based at Maintes, 50 miles SW of Paris.

Now only makes Marigaux oboes.

Bought up Malerne also of Maintes - along with Leblanc and others - in 1976. Robert Malerne himself worked for Noblet from 1904. His neice ran the administration which was well regarded. SML wanted the workshop which was bigger and better equipped than their own. SML stopped making saxes in 1981.

King Marigaux saxes made in France for US - well regarded.
King Lemaire saxes made in Czechoslovakia - student horns

Malerne made three grades of sax and of clarinet for French and US markets. I have some modest experience; not bad instruments: nice tone; typically French design. Make sure you know whether the sax is Pro, inter or Standard.

Serial 7253 is probably about 1970 or so, but I am less certain of this than all the other info. I am providing.

Try the Leblanc web-site for more info.; that's where I got most of this. All these French makers lived cheek by jowl just like the great US makers in Elkhart.

[hornstar]

About 10 years ago, I was just getting back into saxophone and didn't know squat. I bought a Malerne Paris curved soprano for $200. It was very responsive, sounded like a Buescher True Tone, if I remember. The octave B natural was tricky to play in tune, but I never had it checked.
I showed it to a famous sax tech in Boston and he told me it was a "mongrel horn." A few years later, I sold it for about what I paid for it to someone who was VERY excited to buy it. Needless to say, I've since regretted selling it, or listening to the tech.

[buddrobroy]

I can only find sketchy info. The company closed in 1950. I bought the horn. In great condition,as far as pads ect. Needs complete adjustment,leaks like a baby. Tech doing work offered me twice what i paid. When I get it backI will keep you posted if you are interested. Andy

[buddrobroy]

Forgot to mention,this is a ONE piece sax. NO removable neck.

[hornstar]

where'd you buy it, Andy? I sold mine to an african-american gent in the local Bridgeport area. might it be the same horn?

[buddrobroy]

LOL. We have to stop meeting like this.Yes,SameoneY did u sellit? Any problems?thanks, Andy

[cas01]

Frank Cicetti wrote some great articles on these a few years back. As a result, I went on a quest to find one of these curved sopranos. I was lucky to find one, but it has Evette Schaeffer engraving. No question that it is the same horn as the Malerne. Same keywork, same serial # placement , same case! This raises a number of questons about Malerne's realtionship to other companies. Did they do work for Buffet? Is this the only example?

As far as the instrument itself, I love it. This instrument has great projection and control, and much more of a saxophone voice than most straight sopranos I've tried. It has a front high F, and nice octave mechanism. Only flaw for me is a flat top-line F natural. I like my old Couf 5* with this.

Malerne went out of business in 1974 when they were bought by SML. I've never seen serial number charts for Malerne, but I've always guessed that these were mainly built in the 50s and 60s.

There was one on Ebay a few years ago that went up to $1700.