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I am visiting family in Kentucky and this became available nearby while I was visiting. I won't be able to pick it up, but my family will, and I will be able to play it next time I am in town (honestly, probably over the holidays). It comes from the collection of a late local-ish professional player who was active in circus bands, studied with Bill Bell, etc.

Any information on this model or maker? It is an Eb horn. @TheBerlinerTuba?

The badge reads:
"Dresden Model, German Kaiser-Bass
A. Heinel, Man'fr
E. Posselt, Boston, Mass. Sole Agent"







Thanks!

When I see really old instruments like that, I imagine when they were brand-new, and how proud their first owners (and second...) must have been...

If the rotors don't leak, I'll be pretty proud, too!

But, you are right. I think about my friend's 1910s King double bell euph—obviously worn in contact areas, valves completely shot—and how someone paid for that sparkling new instrument way back when and played the snot out of it.

I was attracted to this one because the price was right and the brass didn't look "dry/crispy" as some really old horns do. I think it was well looked after.

Cool: adjustable valve springs.

Cool: adjustable valve springs.
By the way: "Man´fr" would be an abbreviation of "Manufaktur".

In German, there is a gradual distinction between
"Werkstatt" or "Handwerksbetrieb" (facility producing one-of items and small series, all manual labor, hardly any mechanized processes, most if not all labor performed by formally trained craftsmen)

"Manufaktur" (facility producing serial products, partially mechanized production, SOME untrained labor)

"Fabrik" (facility for highly mechanized mass production, both formally trained and untrained labor).

hallo arpthark,

This tuba or its parts were likely made by Schuster in Markneurkichen sometime around 1920+-. The valve block design with its oval paddles and adjustable springs were very common on budget tubas from that era, especially from Markneukichen. One sees many of them still here in Germany, usually old Posaunenchor instruments under the dealer name August Clemens Glier. I agree with you, I think it's an Eb tuba.
The name on the bell is just another dealer name, with the USA importer.
cheers from Berlin,
TheBerlinerTuba

TheBerlinerTuba wrote: ↑Wed Jul 05, 2023 2:02 pm hallo arpthark,

This tuba or its parts were likely made by Schuster in Markneurkichen sometime around 1920+-. The valve block design with its oval paddles and adjustable springs were very common on budget tubas from that era, especially from Markneukichen. One sees many of them still here in Germany, usually old Posaunenchor instruments under the dealer name August Clemens Glier. I agree with you, I think it's an Eb tuba.
The name on the bell is just another dealer name, with the USA importer.
cheers from Berlin,
TheBerlinerTuba

Excellent, thanks so much for this info! Exactly what I was looking for.

I had my family pick this up for me the other day. It has a 12" bell and is about 35" tall. "Kaiser-Bass" indeed!

Excited to try it out next time I'm in KY. This is going to be my "stay-at-my-parents'-house" tuba, that I can play when I am back in town.

Update: I am finally back in KY for the holidays and as a surprise Christmas present, my parents got Norm Epley to fix this up for me. Thanks to them and to Norm for some fine work adjusting the rotors and cleaning it up. The valves still have quite a bit of pop and don't seem very leaky at all. Intonation isn't terrible but requires some attention. It has a big Euro shank receiver. A well taken care of tuba for 100+ years old.

Very cool horn! A few questions/observations:

Is the whole top bow soldered directly to the bell on that side?

That's quite a keel!

Any chance of getting a recording?

Any size comparison photos? (Probably not, unless your parents have another tuba around the house)

Tubajug wrote: ↑Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:15 am Very cool horn! A few questions/observations:

Is the whole top bow soldered directly to the bell on that side?

That's quite a keel!

Any chance of getting a recording?

Any size comparison photos? (Probably not, unless your parents have another tuba around the house)

1. Yes, the entire side of that bow is soldered to the bell.

2. Yes, it's a killer keel (keel-er keel?)!

3. Sure, hang tight!

4. No, the only other thing I have here at my folks' is a Getzen GG bugle in an attic somewhere. this tuba is about the size/height of an old Besson 15" bell Eb, except this tuba has a much more conservative bell throat and bell diameter (maybe 12"). Kind of a funny looking horn. It's also oddly wide.

Nice! Thanks for the replies! It's got a very mellow, bass-horn sounds for sure.

Emil Posselt was listed as a maker/ importer in 1901. August was shown to be a maker as early as 1867 and the company was operated by his sons into the 1920's.

A keel and a ball?

It's too much happiness!

Blake, you sound good on that Beautiful old, horn
You might have to take it home with you!
Joe H

Thanks everyone, this is a cool little horn. The bore, according to my dad's calipers, is about .610"/15.5mm. Really small. Paradoxically, it's still sort of an air hog with that Euro shank receiver.

Lead pipe is long enough that I can add a fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth valve to it down the road!

Sort of mellow trombone-ish on my speakers and would be a very fun toy to have around.

Playing this tuba in the Great American Brass Band Festival this weekend. If you are in Danville, come say hi! I have to admit, when I described this instrument's intonation as "not terrible," I was being a little optimistic. Alternate fingerings are this tuba's friend.

I'm planning on playing a Buescher helicon in the festival parade, where we play on the back of a mule-drawn wagon (a literal bandwagon). Hopefully the mule likes it.