This Tuba Tuesday we feature an instrument that is the smallest of the Museum’s five “raincatcher” sousaphones and the only one pitched in Eb: the J. W. Jenkins “Harwood Professional” Eb sousaphone, circa 1920, shown below.
The first type of marching tuba that rested on the player’s shoulder was the helicon, which were first made circa 1850. Helicons have bells that point forward and slightly to the left and are not removable or adjustable in any way. The famous American band director, John Philip Sousa, in circa 1891, said he wanted a marching tuba that would project its sound “over the entire band like frostiness on a cake.” In order to do this, its bell would need to point straight up (hence the nickname “rain catcher”). The bells on these instruments are removable and adjustable. This new instrument was then named the sousaphone in honor of Sousa. The prototype sousaphone was built circa 1893 by J.W. Pepper. Shortly after that the more familiar bell front version was introduced, which is the version still in use today.
The J. W. Jenkins Company - a musical instrument dealer in Kansas City, MO - was founded by John Woodward Jenkins (1827-1890) during the last half of the 19th century. In the early 20th century, it became J.W. Jenkins Sons’; and during the 1920s and 1930s they imported instruments from Germany and sold them under the trade name “Harwood.”
The J.W. Jenkins, Harwood, Eb “raincatcher” sousaphone has a 15.75” bell diameter.
https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... k/jenkins/