Thanks much for this info !

I now play a Selmer tenor, but had (and loved my P.amauriate) both similar feel and sound. Meow ever the P.Mauriate was made with softer metal (I had to push and bend a bit back in during a gig when it developed a leak) and the antique finish was not holding up well after a couple of years.

i was moving on to a yacht to live and decided that the horn would disintegrate in a salt air environment.  

I picked up up my Silver MK vii tenor sax for less than £2000

when it it came the neck was not a MKVII but was original to instrument.  It had a M prefix and same pa intent numbers for the body and same left hand table as the MKVi

it it is a monster horn and I fell just right.  Consider a MKVII (you might get more than you had ever dreamed for.). But always....always..... Play the horns and decide on sound and how they feel to play rather than buy serial number or brand because folk say they are the holy grail.

i also play yamaha soprano ...... You can't go wrong with yamaha.

so to answer your question: test play as many as you can get with.  get the best you can find and afford....then the only week link can be you, which you can work on!!! (Not suggesting you are a weak link....was mainly referring to my philosophy about myself)