Conn Sousaphone

[Tubadork]

http://www.xs4all.nl/~cderksen/index.html
Bill Pritchard

[Joe Baker]

I'll help you get started. According to the serial #, it was made in 1936 or '37, making it fairly old but not terribly so. There's some info that will help the experts to answer your other questions:

Are the valves 'offset' (meaning that the first & third valve stems come up closer to the second valve rather than right in the center of the valve-cap) or regular? Three valves or four? Diameter of the bell? Diameter of the horn at the collar where the bell attaches? Best you can measure, what's the diameter of the second valve SLIDE tubing (the inside, in other words, not the outside). These factors will help the Conn experts here identify the model.

As to value, in addition to the model number there are other factors: condition of the body of the instrument (dents, patches, finish); type of finish; dents in the valve tubing; whether the valves 'seal' (you can test this by pulling a slide most of the way out then pressing the valve. If you hear a pop, they seal at least well enough); and since it's a Conn, as a collector's piece there is value associated with certain engravings. Yours should have a 'Naked Lady' on it. If she's in good shape, that adds to the collector value (all-the-more-so if she's on the "gifted" end of the scale. Legend has it that the when the engraver's wife sent him to work - er - in a good mood, he would reflect it in his engravings). But most importantly, how does it play?
______________________________
Joe Baker, who is not one of the Conn experts

[Dan Schultz]

http://www.xs4all.nl/~cderksen/index.html
Bill Pritchard

Fun site! Thanks for the link.