This Tuba Tuesday the Museum features one of its oldest instruments: a J. A. Rohe Eb Saxhorn from circa 1850.
J. A. Rohe was a French maker who operated in Paris in the early to mid 19th century and about which not much else is known ( M.J. Note: Joseph Anton Rohe
Philadelphia, PA USA. Started as an importer in 1838. By 1846, he was making brass instruments as well as importing instruments. He is listed as Rohe & Leavitt from 1851 until 1864, when they were bought out by Stratton and Foote).
The Rohe saxhorn (shown below) has three Berliner valves, which were an early type of piston valve. Saxhorns were patented in 1845 by the famous French maker Adolph Sax and were basically early tubas with a conical bore, upright bell and piston valves. The J. A. Rohe instrument is 35 inches high, has a 10 inch bell diameter and a .578 inch valve bore.
https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... t-saxhorn/