I kind of remember reading that it is just a mock-up giant tuba which was used as signage on the front of the Besson building in Euston Road, London.
Interesting, if it actually did play, it would have to be by a left-handed tuba player.
Jonathan "who thinks it would be nice to see a photo of it in its original position"
BBBb tuba recording
- Wyvern
- Wessex Tubas

- Posts: 5033
- Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
- Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
- Contact:
- Dean E
- 5 valves

- Posts: 1019
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:36 am
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
This is another photo of the left-handed mockup.Neptune wrote:I kind of remember reading that it is just a mock-up giant tuba which was used as signage on the front of the Besson building in Euston Road, London.
Interesting, if it actually did play, it would have to be by a left-handed tuba player.
Jonathan "who thinks it would be nice to see a photo of it in its original position"

Dean E
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
- Dean E
- 5 valves

- Posts: 1019
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:36 am
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
This photo is said to be of Hoffnung playing a EEEb Paxman.iiipopes wrote:I thought the big tuba was a subcontra EEb tuba, not a BBBb?

Dean E
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
- Dean E
- 5 valves

- Posts: 1019
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:36 am
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
Here's a mystery tuba. I don't know anything about this pic other than it was labeled "septet."


Dean E
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
- iiipopes
- Utility Infielder

- Posts: 8580
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:10 am
The mock-up was recently the subject of an eBay listing from the person who purchased it from the music store: for the winning bid, he would let you come out to his place in the country and take a picture of you "playing" it!
Isn't the "Paxman EEb" by legend the same horn that Sousa brought over from the USA for a concert tour, then couldn't fit it back in the hold on the boat for the ride home, so it was sold/given away/discarded/abandoned?
Isn't the "Paxman EEb" by legend the same horn that Sousa brought over from the USA for a concert tour, then couldn't fit it back in the hold on the boat for the ride home, so it was sold/given away/discarded/abandoned?
Jupiter JTU1110
"Real" Conn 36K
"Real" Conn 36K
- Chuck(G)
- 6 valves

- Posts: 5679
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:48 am
- Location: Not out of the woods yet.
- Contact:
If that's the Hoffnung Paxman, the answer is, no--it's owned by a collector who plays tuba. And I believe it's a CCC'/BBBb depending on the tuning slides.iiipopes wrote:Isn't the "Paxman EEb" by legend the same horn that Sousa brought over from the USA for a concert tour, then couldn't fit it back in the hold on the boat for the ride home, so it was sold/given away/discarded/abandoned?