Antique Early Buescher True Tone Silver-Plated Alto Saxophone ~1916 - STH

Description

Antique Buescher Silver-Plated Alto Saxophone ~1916. Beautiful old horn which I bought to have restored but chose to do a different one.  Horn was played and well-loved by someone!  Silver-plating has worn through to brass in the usual places, giving the horn a terrific patina.  No significant dents or even dings.  Does look like someone polished it hard.  In terms of functionality, it doesn't play.  I can get a few notes from the horn but it will need an overhaul.  To point out a few things - the spring for the octave lever does not return it back into place.  Horn is missing the neck screw (to tighten when neck goes in).  Air leaks.  Pads and corks need replaced.  Case is not original, has some tears but is perfectly functional.
The 26XXX serial number dates this horn to about 1915 / 1916.  Interestingly the horn looks to have soldered and maybe a few beveled tone holes (hard to tell on the beveling - a few look like they might be.  Soldered & beveled tone holes are commonly associated with Martins, but they may have been optional on early Bueschers.  The horn is also stamped "A" (alto) near the serial number.  This is more commonly associated with Conns.  FA Buescher, who founded the Buescher brand, did so after leaving Conn in 1894.
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09/19/21 - NOTE:  Another eBayer, and saxophone researcher, sent me the following last week.  I greatly appreciate the information:
Martin was not the only company that Beveled. Buescher, Couturier and Elkhart also beveled. Buescher beveling appears between serials 22,000 and 55,000. Not all saxes are beveled, and not all tone holes are beveled. But a substantial portion are. The earlier the serial, especially soldered versions, the more likely the beveling. It is not known if beveling was an option or a standard feature.
Buescher was authorized by the Union to affix the Union Label in December 1906. Thus its possible for the label to be on models starting very late that year, but more likely 1907. The union label stamp stopped in 1916. The earliest occurrence of the Union label is about serial 10,000 on saxes. The latest occurrence is in the 28,000's.
Union labels have been seen with the serial number, with the bell engraving and near where the neck attaches.
The stamping of a Letter, like A, denoting voice of sax only occurs on Buescher in the 26,000's and 27,000's but not all saxes have the letter.
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I can't find a Union stamp on this horn.  My date of 1916 is based on this & the serial number.
I am not an expert on antique saxophone, and only a marginal player, so please examine photos carefully and ask questions before bidding.  All sales final.  Shipping to the lower 48 United States only.
Thanks for looking and good luck bidding.