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I'm curious to know if anyone has ever seen or played an original (not modern build or frankentuba) helicon in lacquered brass. My casual observance seems to be that they were mostly in silver plate (American ones anyway, I have seen many of the European, rotary ones in lacquer) or so old that the original lacquer is long gone. Just curious if anyone can back up my casual claim.

It has been my impression that lacquer finish started in the mid '20s at the earliest, when nitrocellulose lacquer became available, and it seems to have taken a good while after that to appear as a finish option for tubas. The '32 HN White catalogue lists "brass highly polished" (and 3 silver and 2 gold plate options), nothing about lacquer, and they comment "By 1930 the Helicon was already a rare instrument and it is possible that The H. N. White Company did not make any past that year, but just sold out its inventory." So a King helicon wouldn't have had any original lacquer.

That was my thought, that the helicon was on its way out when lacquer was starting up, but I wasn't sure when that was. Thanks Donn!

I own this B&S made "Weltklang" Eb helicon in lacquered brass.



One of the easiest playing tubas I have ever played with excellent intonation!