Selmer USA 162 Omega alto saxophone, SN 820032, owned and played by Richie Cole.

This is a Selmer USA 162 Omega alto saxophone with SN 820032. One of the earliest horns in this model. This particular saxophone is special, because this horn was made especially for Richie Cole, who endorsed Selmer USA Omega as an official artist as an ad shows. Richie Cole played this saxophone in his public performances through 1980's and sold this horn to the second owner in 1993. A partial copy of his handwritten letter of consignment is included. I bought this horn from the second owner, who provided me with the copy of the letter. Although I could not find a public record of the serial number of Richie Cole's Omega, this horn has a couple of unique features customized for Richie Cole. Inside the bell flare are engraves of his name "Richie Cole" and "Alto Madness," which was his trade mark back then. There also is a special engraving on the neck as well. It has been possible to match these signatures with the recorded videos of his live performances in the 80's, snapshots of which are also included. In my opinion, these matches and the letter serve as sufficient evidence to believe that this is the Omega alto he payed. The hard case, which is in great shape, is also special in the sense that the design and finish is different and it fits the horn very tightly compared to the standard Selmer USA Omega case. The saxophone came with a Richie Cole model Meyer mouthpiece 6 MS as shown. Finally, this horn is still in a great playing condition even with old pads. All in all, this is a saxophone to bear the legacy of one of the greatest alto saxophone payers in Jazz history. Richie Cole passed away in 2020 at 72 years old. If you are interested in this alto saxophone, contact me at [email protected]