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Hi all - one of my favorite things to have happen when I engage in research is to stumble upon something I wasn't even looking for, and that happened the other day. While researching Warren G. Harding, and his history as a helicon player, I found the original photo of Herman Conrad posing with the very first Conn Sousaphone back in 1898 (or perhaps late 1897). The source of the photo had no idea who was in it, or when it was taken (and why it showed up in a search for Harding is a mystery to me!).

Conn used this photo in his publications for a few years, but the newsprint version, which is all I had up to this point, is pretty grainy. Now we can see Conrad, and this first version of Conn's Sousaphone, in glorious detail. Take particular note of the valve cluster, as that is what Conn replaced pretty quickly with version two, a year or so later.

Enjoy!
Dave

This is more proof that, as some of us have suspected, those who got their horns directly from Conn has customized lead pipes, with no bits...

@Dave Detwiler, would you be amenable if this photo was shared on Instagram linking back to this thread?

matt g wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 5:38 am @Dave Detwiler, would you be amenable if this photo was shared on Instagram linking back to this thread?

Sure - history like this should be shared. Eventually I will be writing an article on Conrad, who I have dubbed "The Forgotten Giant of the Tuba," with the goal being that he would no longer be forgotten!

Awesome post!

Thank you for all your work, Dave. I snagged a copy to use as my desktop photo. The clarity *is* very nice!

Dave Detwiler wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:53 am [...]
(and why it showed up in a search for Harding is a mystery to me!).
[...]

The "blowhard" jokes write themselves...

Amazing photo.
Thank you for posting it.

Fantastic photo!

Those were big tubas. Look at the size of the bell throat.

Rick “definitely a BAT” Denney

No definite proof, but all the Sousa sousaphone players appear to have lead pipes with no bits....

Rick Denney wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:19 am Those were big tubas. Look at the size of the bell throat.

Rick “definitely a BAT” Denney

BASS

Rick Denney wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:19 am Those were big tubas. Look at the size of the bell throat.

Rick “definitely a BAT” Denney

Agreed. Plus Conrad was supposed to be a large man, which increases the likely size. To bring in other topics: strong mustache game, straight fingers.

hrender wrote: ↑Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:20 amConrad was supposed to be a large man, which increases the likely size.

Conrad was not so much large as tall. Sources from his day vary, putting his height somewhere between 6' 4" and 6' 8." The one below, from 1903, claimed he was "a giant nearly 7 feet tall" - and a pretty good flute player!