The Grafton saxophone was a plastic saxophone manufactured by the Grafton company from the late-1940s, due to World War II and the shortage of metals and steels, until the mid-1950s. They have a plangent, rather brittle sound. Graftons are now collectors' items. The instruments' most notable player was probably Charlie Parker. While in Toronto, Charlie Parker and “the quintet” were scheduled to perform at Massey Hall, but Parker had pawned his saxophone (some sources say to buy heroin). A sales representative for Grafton (or the owner of the company, depending upon from whom one receives the story) asked Parker to use a Grafton for a Massey Hall gig in May of 1953. Although Parker was under exclusive contract to use only one type of saxophone whilst gigging in the United States, outside the U.S.A. he was free to use any sax he wished, including this Grafton. The recording of Parker (credited as Charlie Chan due to contract issues) can be heard on the CD "Jazz at Massey Hall-Bud Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Max Roach." The Grafton saxophone that Parker used, was sold at the Christie's auction house in London in September 1994 for £93,500 sterling. The buyer was the mayor of Parker's home town, Kansas City, Kansas. Ornette Coleman also plays one, perhaps influenced by Parker. In the late fifties and early sixties, Coleman was sometimes known as "the man with the plastic horn".

More information on the Grafton Saxophone at http://www.xs4all.nl/~lexlub/chroma-tic_eng/grafton/index.htm