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They must have had some way to do it. I’ve seen a few Martin catalogs that specifically say that other sized bells are available on custom order. If it was a huge pain, I doubt they would have mentioned it in the catalog, but rather grumbled a bit then did it for ‘special’ customers only.

King cut 19” upright bells down to 16” for William Bell and Abe Torchinsky for their rotary CC tubas.

However, you’re right, my “trivial” comment was a bit off.

I'm not nitpicking. I really don't know much, but I've been told that by someone who watch tuba bells being spun and talked to those bell spinners about different diameters of pancakes.
The farthest I've ever been onto the European continent was the Netherlands, and Adams was only making drums back then.

While looking at pictures of tubas on the internet, I came across the one below. It sure looks like a Holton Del Negro to me. Zooming in on the picture, you can read "Chicago" in the engraving.

As it turns out it is a screen shot from the movie "Blonde Ambition", which, truth being stranger than fiction, is an X rated film (no, seriously).
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082082/ <-- description, not a link to view the movie, although there is a link to 'rent' it from Amazon Prime.

There's got to be an interesting story to go along with this tuba. I wonder where it is now.

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Here's one in CC that Eli Newberger donated to a collection at Yale. If this is the same horn that he had beautifully restored in satin silver... but it looks more like (it used to be) bright silver. How many Del Negros did he own? I think I saw a picture of him with a detachable bell Del Negro too.

https://www.facebook.com/11609553516165 ... 0283/?_rdr

I remember having to fool around with his Holton C at a jazz festival out west (over 40 years ago), because one of the knuckles was only lead soldered to its valve casing and it got bumped or something (or - just as likely - jostled in flight). That was during the period of time that I only owned by F tuba, and - that being the p.o.r. - that tuba in my arms seemed large.

During that era, I was mostly preparing trumpets, trombones, horns, and baritones.

After I got the valve working, I didn't even play it, so I've actually never played one of those. He sure moved that first valve slide very often and very far when he would perform with the Black Eagles, so I suspect those particular instruments are pretty squirrely.

Having owned large bell horns and small bell horns, including a very fine Sander with a storied history and a bell smaller than 15 inches, I have come to prefer the smaller bells for a more focused sound. And having been on the lookout for one of these particular Holtons for about 40 years, I am not optimistic about finding one soon...

Sorry, I couldn't resist and looked up the trailer.
At 0.45" you can see the Del Negro in action.
Sort of.