The 6(?) HN White/King CC 4 rotor tubas-incl. Bell's

[bisontuba]

Hi-
I am wondering about the 6 (I believe 6 were made) HN White/King CC 4 rotor tubas that were made that included Bill Bell's horn--what happened to these 6(?) horns? I know one was used by Louis Pirko in St Louis and then bought by Joe Novotny and is now in Mike Lynch's /'Texas Tuba Museum' collection (a GREAT instrument!). Abe Torchinsky used one--and I believe (?) Warren now has it. Bill Bell's was at the Getzen factory and in Charlie Ford's office--but last I heard, it wasn't at Getzen--anybody know where it is? So that accounts for 3 (sort of) of the 6 (?) made--what happened to the other 3?
Of course, there was one made that was earlier that was in Satin Silver that I did own but I believe Rick Benjamin now has--it was from the 20's, and there were others made with a .750 bore, but my curiosity is of the 6 'Bill Bell' type HN WHite/King CC horns. Does anyone have information?
Thanks-
mark
jonestuba@juno.com

[Travelman]

What would such horns be worth, esp. if in playing condition?

[bisontuba]

Hi-
I was told that the hotel in Perry, Iowa recently went under and closed--so all of the 'Bell' stuff is gone from there, I believe.
mark
jonestuba@juno.com

[Tom]

Hi-
I was told that the hotel in Perry, Iowa recently went under and closed--so all of the 'Bell' stuff is gone from there, I believe.
mark
jonestuba@juno.com

The hotel did in fact close:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20061 ... ee_closing

I'm not sure what happened to Bill Bell's things, but I hope they're in the hands of someone that knows what they are and will care for them well. The owners names are listed in the Yahoo news article with their location listed as being California. I guess you could attempt to track them down and find out where the stuff is, if it's for sale, etc., etc.

[Daniel C. Oberloh]

One of them is at the hotel in Perry, Iowa.

Another is in a collection of instruments that belongs to a club in San Francisco.

That one was BBb. There was a CC in satin silver in the inventory of one of the Oregon universities a while back but it has since got legs and whereabouts is officially unknown for the time being.

Daniel C. Oberloh

[Lew]

I played a satin silver CC Bill Bell tuba with a detachable upright bell at Dillon Music a few years ago. Don't know where it went from there, but I thought someone who posts here was selling it, or bought it.

[Richard Armandi]

As far as I know, at least one (possibly two) are being held by the son of the late Charles Guse, a free-lance Tubist in the Chicago area for many years (from at least the '50's until 1986, when he became president of the Musician's Union here).

[Sean Greene]

Paul Haugan owns one- he's in Milwaukee. He was told it was from Bell's teaching studio at IU. I think Paul said he acquired it from Bob Rusk. There's an article about Paul's tuba collection on Tubanews.com. Here's a picture of Paul with that horn along with Dave Spies and myself after a Capitol City Band concert.

[pulseczar]

One of them is at the hotel in Perry, Iowa.

Another is in a collection of instruments that belongs to a club in San Francisco.

Any idea what the club name is?

[Pete Link]

Abe Torchinsky's horn belongs to a man in San Francisco whom is a close personal friend of Floyd Cooley. This horn was Bill Bells tuba beforehand. I believe he was considering selling it to the right person for the right price last time I spoke with him.
This gentleman also owns Floyd Cooley's old 6/4 Holton CC which is heard on all those great SFSO/Blomstedt recordings and one of two in the U.S. (I believe) Nirschl Eb tubas. Nice collection.

[Travelman]

This thread got me curious and I found this interesting link. There are other pictures in this website if you do some more hunting:

http://www.hnwhite.com/King/Low%20Brass ... 0Large.jpg

Why were there only 6 (?) made? Maybe only BBb was in vogue in that era?...

[Toad Away]

One or two of those King CCs went from Indiana U. to a music store in Bloomington in some sort of trade. When Harvey Phillips informed me about it, I sent a check and received the horn.
I believe this was in 1978 or 1979. Unfortunately, the tuba was so out of tune that after a week I reluctantly returned it and got my money back.

-- Tim Loehr