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Help date this tuba??

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:16 am
by jmh3412
I've just discovered an unusual BBb 3 valve tuba. This is OLD, converted to low pitch. Amazingly all slides work and there is very little denting!.1 st valve stem broken but otherwise surprisingly intact for an Antique!!


Unlike most English instruments it is left facing with the valves in the middle of the instrument.

engraving reads

The Emperor Bass
Excselsior Sonorous
Class A
Hawkes & Son
Denman Street
Piccadilly Circus
London
30124

Anyone able to date this instrument from the serial number -I'll try to post pictures later.

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:29 am
by corbasse
My old valvectomy style natural horn was a Hawkes & Son (excelsior sonorous) on Denman St., although I don't remember the serial number. Langwill only gives rough dates on Hawkes' serail numbers anyway, and I don't have a copy here.
Mine was from WWI.

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:36 am
by windshieldbug
Before 1914, but probably not too far

http://www.missouri.edu/~cceric/sn/besson.html

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:50 am
by Tubadork
Hey,
post some pictures, if I feel something for her, may be we could go out on a date or two.
:lol:
Sorry,
Bill

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:01 pm
by windshieldbug
To narrow it a little further...

27601 = 1911
39782 = c1913

The Cornet Compendium


And yes, Bill, I was thinking that too, when I first clicked on this thread... :D

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:05 pm
by LoyalTubist
Yeah, where are the pictures?

Another Bill

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:23 pm
by tubatooter1940
I never dated a tuba. Do fat chicks count?