Grafton saxophone

Grafton made only altos, owing to the manufacturing challenges presented by larger models (e.g., the tenor) with 1950s plastic technologies.

Designed by Ettore Sommaruga, an Italian living in London, the saxophone was named after "Grafton Way", his address during the early 1950s.

The decision to make it mainly from acrylic glass like perspex was motivated simply because of its much lower cost and ease of production, rather than improvement in tonal qualities.

Although Parker was under exclusive contract to use only one type of saxophone while gigging in the United States, outside the U.S. he was free to use any sax he wished.

Parker (credited as Charlie Chan due to contract issues) can be heard playing this Grafton on the album Jazz at Massey Hall with Bud Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus and Max Roach, albeit through a low fidelity recording.

The Grafton saxophone that Parker used (serial number 10265) was sold at the Christie's auction house in London in September 1994 for £93,500 sterling.

The buyer was the American Jazz Museum, located in Parker's home town of Kansas City, Missouri.

[4] Ornette Coleman used to play a Grafton (that he purchased in 1954) originally because it was the cheapest saxophone he could replace his first tenor with after it was broken.

"His distinctive approach, both in terms of timing, harmonic line and, especially on alto, his timbre, is central to what is widely, if controversially regarded as the 'Australian' or 'Melbourne' jazz style."

[7] Since 2011 Florian Trübsbach [de], Professor at the University for Music and Performing Arts Munich, has played a Grafton alto exclusively.

The Grafton saxophone remains a historical curiosity and a footnote to the careers of Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman among jazz buffs.