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I picked up a tuba mouthpiece back in my Orlando days from a trumpet playing buddy, it's an old New York Vincent Bach but it's stamp not with a size or number but a name, Silberbauer. I've searched the Bach site for some history but I wasn't able to find any. This mouthpiece totally projects, it will peel the finish off of the inside of your bell. It's my go-to for outside gigs. Anybody know anything about this model of mouthpiece?

Here are the dimensions of the mouthpiece:

Overall Length 3 5/8 in.
Cup depth 1 1/2 in.
Opening to throat 5/16 in.
Rim outer 1.830 in.
Rim inner 1.275 in.
Rim width .280 in.
Shank length 2 1/8 in.
Shank inside .466 in.
Shank outside .526 in.

Here are some pictures:

Check with the guy that hosts this web site: http://www.vincentbachsworld.com/" target="_blank

He is very knowledgeable about all things Bach.

Cool, thank you for the lead, I'm heading there now.

Stauff wrote:In the early 1900's, Charles J. Silberbauer was policeman in the 24th Precinct of New York who was involved in starting their police band. Coincidently, he's listed as a "basso player". The 85th Street Bach facility is near that precinct. Possible connection??

You could be on to something. I remember when I first got the mouthpiece from the trumpet player he told me that Silberbauer was a tuba player in the NYC Fire or Police Department Band back in the early 1900's. He and the tuba player that he got the mouthpiece from I believe relocated to Orlando from the Northeast part of the country. This puzzle is starting to come together.

When I first got the mouthpiece it was chrome plated, due to one of the previous owners being allergic to silver plating, after years of playing on it the chrome started to flake and started to rip my chops like razor blades. I loved the mouthpiece so much I ended up getting the chrome stripped and gold plating the mouthpiece.

Thanks for the N.Y. history, and possible link to my favorite mouthpiece,
Mike

I heard back from Roy Hempley of the BachWorld site this morning, he provided a few more pieces of the puzzle. Back in the early 1900's Bach would stamp custom one off mouth pieces with the players' name. When I mentioned to Roy the history of Charles Silberbauer you provide, he wrote back that the NYPD band had purchased many Bach instruments when it got started, they probably threw in the mouthpiece to Charles Silberbauer as a thank you.

I always wondered the history around this mouthpiece, now I cherish it even more. I planning on playing on it for the rest of my playing days. Thank you again for your contribution to solving the puzzle of this mysterious mouthpiece.

That's really cool, thanks for sharing!

Now... you owe us a photo! Also, what's the shape/size of the mouthpiece? Is it similar to any of the current models?

Turns out Silberbauer studied tuba with August Helleberg. How about that? For a picture of Charles J. Silberbauer and a little history, if you are interested, follow the link below. This might even be your mouthpiece.

I would print these pages out if I was interested in the article. I have found through ancestry searches that many links fail a year or two later.

https://books.google.com/books?id=qUc0A ... nd&f=false

and similar:

https://books.google.com/books?id=L19FA ... nd&f=false

and this OCR pullout:

"The Police Band not only gives recreation and pleasure to the men who participate , but it makes them happy In what they i are able to give to those where none as well as they know the monotony and drudgery of the daily life of most of the people who have no other way to enjoy musical diversion." The New York Police Band Is eagerly demonstrating to the people that the department is not tainted with graft, that the men are honest and sincere in their desire to do public good. Band Organized In 1001. The Police Band was organized In 1901 by Patrolman Charles J. Silberbauer with other enthusiasts upon the subject. ' Prior to his entrance to the police department Officer Silberbauer was a letter carrier and leader of the Letter Carriers' Band. He Is one of the beat bass players In this country, having studied music for many years under Hellerberg, one of the world's greatest bandsmen. One of the most Interesting phases of the New York Police Band is that it is composed exclusively of policemen who combine musical gifts to their equipment as police officers, and some of them before joining the police force were members of the U. S. Army and Navy bands, while others were at West Point. Patrolman Alexander J. Wlddlck, for instance, was in an English army band and he has played before most of the crowned heads of Europe; Sergeant Beaufrere. of the 53d Precinct, drum major of the band, had had wide experience in that capacity before Joining the force; William D. Benisch, a hardy officer, left a position at the Metro politan Opera House to become a police officer."

Turns out Silberbauer studied tuba with August Helleberg. How about that? For a picture of Charles J. Silberbauer and a little history, if you are interested, follow the link below. This might even be your mouthpiece.

I would print these pages out if I was interested in the article. I have found through ancestry searches that many links fail a year or two later.

https://books.google.com/books?id=qUc0A ... nd&f=false

and similar:

https://books.google.com/books?id=L19FA ... nd&f=false

and this OCR pullout:

"The Police Band not only gives recreation and pleasure to the men who participate , but it makes them happy In what they i are able to give to those where none as well as they know the monotony and drudgery of the daily life of most of the people who have no other way to enjoy musical diversion." The New York Police Band Is eagerly demonstrating to the people that the department is not tainted with graft, that the men are honest and sincere in their desire to do public good. Band Organized In 1001. The Police Band was organized In 1901 by Patrolman Charles J. Silberbauer with other enthusiasts upon the subject. ' Prior to his entrance to the police department Officer Silberbauer was a letter carrier and leader of the Letter Carriers' Band. He Is one of the beat bass players In this country, having studied music for many years under Hellerberg (sic), one of the world's greatest bandsmen.

One of the most Interesting phases of the New York Police Band is that it is composed exclusively of policemen who combine musical gifts to their equipment as police officers, and some of them before joining the police force were members of the U. S. Army and Navy bands, while others were at West Point. Patrolman Alexander J. Wlddlck, for instance, was in an English army band and he has played before most of the crowned heads of Europe; Sergeant Beaufrere. of the 53d Precinct, drum major of the band, had had wide experience in that capacity before Joining the force; William D. Benisch, a hardy officer, left a position at the Metro politan Opera House to become a police officer."

Thank you for posting those Google links, it's not very often that you have a mouthpiece that's over 100 years old and can still play in the big leagues, lol. Charles J. Silberbauer not only was a historic figure in the NYC music scene at the turn of the century (early 1900's), but he served his city in his day gig as a police officer.