Expert: Kenton Scott - 12/15/2007

Question
I have been the proud owner of a Hawkes and Son Tuba for the past 27 years.  After a considerable break I have begun to play it a little more and I am keen to find out  about its origins.  Can you help?

The details area as follows.  The Profundo Special Bore, Serial Number 59391, Hawkes & Son, Piccadilly Circus, London W.

So far I have discovered the following details from a chap called Gavin Dixon at www.horniman.ac.uk who found the following in a Hawkes and Son plating book:

Eb Profundo Bass 3v [valves], Inst no. 59391, Ticket no. 3664, order no.
4554, Silver Plate, Date 8/5/29
He was also able to tell me that the instrument will have been made at the company's Edgware factory.

I am keen to try and trace the provenance of the instrument.  When I first got it I was told that it began life in a Burton upon Trent brewery band and that it had its slides extended to change its key and enable it to play in an orchestra.  How factual this is I do not know, but the slides have definitely been extended at some stage in it's life.

Are you able to help or at least point me in the right direction?

Regards

Stephen Noble


Answer
Steven,

It sounds to me that you have already collected all/most of the information that is going to be available on your tuba.

When you say that it was extended, I assume that you mean that it was converted from high pitch to low pitch.  I would also assume if the history you have been told is correct that the horn was in high pitch because the band was.  And, when it left the band - maybe when the band dissolved, then he was necessary to play at modern low pitch.

I think you most promising source of further information would be by finding the band's history.  And you may be able to get an idea how long the horn was associated with the band.