Name that horn (suboptimal picture)

[Sam Gnagey]

Something about it strikes me a s Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury. I think it's the long straight branch on the opposite side from the bell.

[Cameron Gates]

I can name the uniform.............looks comfy.

[imperialbari]

Odd problem:

I can access the sites of US military bands but for anything marine. This matter has been discussed at the horn lists where some have been unable to follow announcements of auditions. The problem is that the marine servers test whether ones address is pingable. If not, no access. I enjoy having a very secure setup of my router network, but with this thread I couldn’t even see that a photo wouldn’t load until I clicked the quote button to read what really had been posted.

In short: Could somebody please load this photo as an attachment? The hint that the US Marine band used British instruments already during the early Sousa era is interesting, as it is related to the question about when the usage of BBb tubas became widespread in the US.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

Thanks for the very interesting photo!

Actually two interesting tubas. The Eb one is very similar to my own Besson from 1870, but the Sousa sample could come out of 3 potential sources: French or British Besson and then maybe from Henry Distin shortly after his arrival to the US (I am not an expert on the Distin history, but there are others here being in the know).

My perception of French BBb tubas was visually wrecked 50 years ago, when I saw a movie on the Dreyfuss case. At a parade there was a huge BBb tuba, which I since associated with the early 1900-era. Today I know it was a much later Courtois used falsely in the movie like the sousaphone in the West Point band in that Civil War movie discussed here some months ago.

Point is that I think Adolphe Sax’s perception that the Eb Saxhorn contrebasse was the true contrabass of the Saxhorn family stayed on longer in France than elsewhere. So I rather lean on the BBb being from England or from Distin with the latter being the most likely source for both these tubas.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

Took a look at some Distin tubas from that era. His design was more modern with shorter tuning slide and a more compact wrapping. So these marine tubas likely were British.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

These Eb tubas have a bore of 0.632" from the first branch of the tuning slide right through the valve block. Mine has the 4th valve sitting before the main tuning slide also with that said bore.

Klaus

[J.c. Sherman]

Something about it strikes me a s Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury. I think it's the long straight branch on the opposite side from the bell.

I'm with you, Sam. And Boston instruments often had two ferules on the outside pipe, and with some French influence in the making there anyway, a 2-tone slide on the 3rd seams like a likely option.

[Cameron Gates]

Is that regulation facial hair on that Marine? I think not...

Facial hair, probably not. However, I'm all over the b flat tuba player's hair. Those were the days.

[Teubonium]

Is that regulation facial hair on that Marine? I think not...

Of course it is! It's 1892. Check out Sousa's beard.

[imperialbari]

[quote="Sam Gnagey"]Something about it strikes me a s Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury. I think it's the long straight branch on the opposite side from the bell.[/quite]

Hunting a certain photo took me back to this thread.

Went to my gallery index and found samples of Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury BBb basses of that era. They have 2 ferrules at the straight branch opposite the bell, but they are way more compact with 3/2 steps 3rd valve tubing taking an extra loop.

Klaus