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Organization
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization
1.

Organization:

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Spectrum Select L.P. (the “Partnership”) is a Delaware limited partnership organized in 1991 to engage primarily in the speculative trading of futures contracts, options on futures and forward contracts, and forward contracts on physical commodities and other commodity interests, including, but not limited to, foreign currencies, financial instruments, metals, energy and agricultural products (collectively, “Futures Interests”) (refer to Note 4, “Financial Instruments”). The General Partner (as defined below) may also determine to invest up to all of the Partnership’s assets in United States (“U.S.”) Treasury bills and/or money market mutual funds, including money market mutual funds managed by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates. The Partnership commenced trading operations on August 1, 1991. Prior to December 31, 2018, the Partnership was one of the Morgan Stanley Spectrum series of funds, comprised of the Partnership, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Spectrum Strategic L.P., (prior to its termination on December 31, 2018), and prior to December 31, 2017, Ceres Tactical Global L.P. (formerly Ceres Tactical Currency L.P.) and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Spectrum Technical L.P.

Ceres Managed Futures LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, acts as the general partner (“Ceres” or the “General Partner”) and commodity pool operator of the Partnership. As of January 1, 2017, Ceres became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings, Inc. (“MSD Holdings”). MSD Holdings is ultimately owned by Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is a publicly held company whose shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Morgan Stanley is engaged in various financial services and other businesses. Prior to January 1, 2017, Ceres was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Holdings LLC.

During the periods covered by this report, the Partnership’s commodity broker was Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“MS&Co.”), a registered futures commission merchant. MS&Co. also acts as the counterparty on all trading of foreign currency forward contracts. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, doing business as Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (“Morgan Stanley Wealth Management”), is a principal subsidiary of MSD Holdings. MS&Co. and its affiliates act as the custodians of the Partnership’s assets available for trading in Futures Interests. MS&Co. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. During prior periods included in this report, the Partnership deposited a portion of its cash in a non-trading account at JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.

Ceres is required to maintain a 1% minimum interest in the equity of the Partnership.

In July 2015, the General Partner delegated certain administrative functions to SS&C Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation, currently doing business as SS&C GlobeOp (the “Administrator”). Pursuant to a master services agreement, the Administrator furnishes certain administrative, accounting, regulatory reporting, tax and other services as agreed from time to time. In addition, the Administrator maintains certain books and records of the Partnership. The General Partner pays or reimburses the Partnership, from the General Partner fee it receives from the Partnership, the ordinary administrative expenses of the Partnership, including the expenses related to the engagement of the Administrator.