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Good Day,
Looking for some assistance in assessing a value for the following:
1941 Boosey & Hawkes LP Regent Eb Sousaphone. 3 valve, 24" bell, silver plated brass. Matching serial numbers on bell and horn (158080). Valves seem ok. Body and finish in fair to good condition....some denting. Original shoulder pad and leather grips all in good condition. Pictures attached.
Thanks in advance for any info!!
Ric

In my honest opinion it is really hard to determine value on a piece like this. The silver plate is a plus. The overall condition is good. That will help you sell it.

It is harder to sell Eb Sousas than it is to sell BBb Tubas, so that is working against you. Check eBay for similar items and that will give you an idea of what you might be able to get for it.

Are you looking to insure it or sell it?

Thanks for the info. I suspected the Eb was less common than a BBb and therefore less in demand. I had done a bit of searching but couldn't find anything that thought was comparable. Prices were all over the place ($500 - $3000) and I had no idea what the factors were that drove those values. My main instrument is bass guitar but I played tuba in high school. Thought it would be an easy credit (and it was!!!!) but hasn't been of much value to me since then. Sax, trumpet or even flute would have been much more useful these days. I bought this horn about 15 years ago thinking it might be neat to use it in the show for a tune or 2 but quickly realized I wasn't willing to spend the time to re-learn what I had forgotten. I collect old instruments so it was a unique piece to display with the rest. How many people have a large sousaphone hanging on their wall? Last winter we did some renovations and I no longer have the space to display it so it's been hanging in the basement since then. After hitting my head on it for the umpteenth time I've decided I should likely part with it. I had never even cleaned it so wasn't aware it was silver plated until a couple of weeks ago!!!
Thanks again for the reply,
Ric

The factors that drive the price all over the place are condition, number of valves, make/style of instrument, and finish.

The silver-plating on yours is a good thing. If the instrument had 4 valves, you could sell it for three to four times what a 3 valve instrument will bring. I had a 1927 Conn 26K Eb sousa in the shop for several years, and restored it to near-perfection. I occasionally took it out to playing jobs, and knew that it was a fine player. Alas, it was lacquered, with 3 valves, and it seemed for a while that I couldn't GIVE it away.