Interesting configuration -- F tuba?

[Kevin Hendrick]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-1900-s-Tuba ... dZViewItem

Looks like about the right length of open bugle for an F ... any idea who might have made it?

[iiipopes]

I'm wondering if it is a transitional Moritz, Moritz-related or Moritz-inspired tuba. It looks almost identical to the tuba on the Rugs-N-Relics website that is an 1840 Moritz, just a few years after the original patent was issued in Prussia. The only functional difference is rotary valves rather than berliner valves:

http://www.rugs-n-relics.com/brass-phil ... -tuba.html

[jsswadley]

The small bell flare looks very much more Austrian than German. The valve set up and wrap also look more Austro-Hungarian Empire than German. Compare to the Austrian instrument at Tony Clement's Low Brass Werks site. (The name of this maker escapes me, but the shop is still there in Vienna 16th District. They still make Viennese horns there.) John

[iiipopes]

I contacted the buyer and told him we'd all like to know more about the tuba. He is a collector and said he'd to tell us more soon. Here is the text of the email he sent me:

Hi:
Yes, I'm very excited about winning this tuba, to me it was a real find. Yes, it is very similar to the original Moritz style tubas, but most likely of a slightly newer vintage. A good friend of mine has one of those extremely early Moritz horns which I have admired greatly, as you note this is very similar with the exception of rotary as opposed to berliner valves. The tuba in fact does bear a mark contrary to the seller's observations, it has a very detailed crown with no accompanying inscription. The crown is very distinctive and is clearly an early mark from Schuster & Sohne, they began business in 1851. I'm assuming the seller might have overlooked the stamped crown, it is small and without any accompanying knowledge wouldn't mean much to most people. The basic form, the lack of tuning slides on all valves and the lack of a water key all indicate a fairly early date to me. I'm estimating 1850's or early 1860's. The overall condition is really amazing, the metal is in remarkable shape aside from the typical denting. I had anticipated a pitch of F which is typical for most similar instruments, this one is in fact Eb high pitch (comparatively in E modern pitch). These 5-valve tubas seemed to enjoy some success and various versions were sold clear up into the early 20th century. The newer ones generally carry newer design characteristics including improved valves, wider bore sizes, etc., plus most often bear clear makers marks, so it is possible to come up with reasonable estimations of vintage.

This is certainly a rarity approaching that of the Fiske Tuba, but european horns don't seem to attract a fraction of the interest that early american horns do. Much of this has to do with supply and demand, there's too many people who are not really educated collectors but are reenactors looking for an instrument they can play in their Civil war band.
To me horns a horn like this is really fascinating, clearly by looking at it you can see the development from earlier ophicleides and clavicor related instruments.

Thanks for your interest, I'm happy to share a bit on this old tuba. I have not previously looked over TubeNet, I guess I'll have to do that. I'm actually a french horn player but am an avid tuba collector with between 80 and 100 tubas in my horn room, most dating from the second half of the 19th century. I'm hoping to establish a website soon to show some images of the various instruments in my collection.

[Kevin Hendrick]

Very interesting -- much appreciated!