This Tuba Tuesday the Museum features one of two Over The Shoulder (OTS) Saxhorns in its possession. This instrument is a three string rotary valve Contrabass Eb Saxhorn marked J.H. F. NY on a shield which stands for J. Howard Foote of New York City. Most likely this instrument was made for Foote’s company...possibly by the John F Stratton of NYC. OTS horns were very popular in the Civil War as bandsmen marched in front of the troops and the sound of their instruments projected to the rear so the soldiers could hear them. Their horns were carried on bandsmen’s shoulders with the bells facing behind them.
https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -3-rotary/