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Does anyone know when the water key/spit valve became standard option on brass instruments - specifically the tuba. I am trying to date an old Bauer tuba from Markneukirchen. Since that area of Germany has been making musical instruments for a billion years it has been difficult to put a year/decade with the horn.

Bonde

Judging from instruments that have come through my shop, Cerveny tubas had water keys by or before 1894, Wurlitzer tubas had water keys by the 1880's, and I have seen Civil War-era instruments with water keys.

The keys on a keyed bugle were for pitch purposes, not water keys.

I would suspect that the tuba player in Berlioz' orchestra, shortly after having an F tuba gurgling with condensation in an exposed passage in rehearsal, had a water key added, if it did not have one to start with ;^)

I suspect it was invented by a brass instrument maker who saw all those twirling horns and didn't want anyone dropping their tubas emptying the condensation.

tongue placed firmly in cheek

The ophicleide that I used actually had one in the "bocal" (no kidding) and several along the length of the instrument (kidding)

I just e-mailed Denis Wedgwood about availabilty and will report back what he says.

Jeff