Expert: Kenton Scott - 7/3/2008

Question
Greetings Kenton

Recently on Ebay I won what was advertised as an old baritone, but it plays out of Eb below Bb. Subsequent investigation led me to your site and others where I found that what I really had was a very old Sears Marceau Eb tuba.

I'm trying to get a rough idea how old it is. I've seen a 1900 Sears catalog page advertising the horn..looks identical to my horn except in the Sears drawing the bell inscription is larger and more ornate. On my horn the inscription etched on the bell reads:
Marceau &Cie.
Paris
Sears Roebuck&CoInc.
Sole Agents
Chicago

There are no other inscriptions anywhere else on the horn including the lead pipe and mouthpiece insert. (Except he pistons are numbered).

The whole bell inscription is slightly off square to the sides of the bell and the word Paris is off square to the rest of the copy..The casual nature of the inscription placement makes me wonder if my horn was made toward the end of the manufacturing run of these horns (whenever and where ever that would be).

The horn plays well..I'm enjoying the new challenge!

Please let me know your thoughts

thanks

Todd
Hillsborough NC

Answer
Ebs are fun aren't they?  They can be very 'tuba' like but also rather melodic. I think it is too bad that they have gone out of fashion in the typical band.

Sears marketed Marceau instruments at least into the 1930s.   You may be interested in looking at Sears catalog excerpts at:

http://www.horn-u-copia.net/books/Sears%20catalogs.pdf