Lyon & Healy Tuba Question!

[Basswood1960]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the TubaForum and have a question about a Lyon & Healy tuba I'm going to go look at. Does anyone know when the last ones were made and does anyone know how old this one might be? I have a close up picture of the bell, but the file is too big. I'll need to make it smaller and put it on here. I know it's a Chicago made horn. Thanks for any info!!

[matt g]

It’s best to use a file hosting service like imgur to post photos.

Based on those valve circuits, it looks French. I can’t remember if it’s Courtois or Couesnon (sp?) that made those constant expanding bore valve sets, but this looks like one.

[arpthark]

That is a euphonium. Pretty similar to this one:

https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -4-piston/

Courturier designed these quirky conical bore (no tuning slides, gradually expanding tubing within the valve circuits) instruments and sold the company to Lyon & Healy in 1923. L&H sold off the band instrument division in 1929, so this looks like a Courturier-designed instrument still being produced by L&H with a probable manufacture date of 1923-1929.

Despite the name, Courturier wasn't a French company. E.A. Courturier was born in New York and worked at Holton before founding his own company.

[matt g]

That is a euphonium. Pretty similar to this one:

https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -4-piston/

Courturier designed these quirky conical bore (no tuning slides, gradually expanding tubing within the valve circuits) instruments and sold the company to Lyon & Healy in 1923. L&H sold off the band instrument division in 1929, so this looks like a Courturier-designed instrument still being produced by L&H with a probable manufacture date of 1923-1929.

Despite the name, Courturier wasn't a French company. E.A. Courturier was born in New York and worked at Holton before founding his own company.

Thank you for this information! My mistake on the name.

[arpthark]

That is a euphonium. Pretty similar to this one:

https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -4-piston/

Courturier designed these quirky conical bore (no tuning slides, gradually expanding tubing within the valve circuits) instruments and sold the company to Lyon & Healy in 1923. L&H sold off the band instrument division in 1929, so this looks like a Courturier-designed instrument still being produced by L&H with a probable manufacture date of 1923-1929.

Despite the name, Courturier wasn't a French company. E.A. Courturier was born in New York and worked at Holton before founding his own company.

Thank you for this information! My mistake on the name.

No worries, as I assumed it was French as well until doing some recent research. It really does seem to semantically fit in with the Couesnon and Courtois instruments! Courturier's factory was in Indiana.

[LargeTuba]

Nice! This was made very close to where I live in my hometown in Indiana.

The Lot where the factory was is now a community college and a Wendy's.

[arpthark]

Nice! This was made very close to where I live in my hometown in Indiana.

The Lot where the factory was is now a community college and a Wendy's.

No better place to get a conical bore straw in your Frosty!

[bort2.0]

This document is an excellent resource, I can't imagine anything more comprehensive exists:

https://www.brasshistory.net/L&H%20Own% ... istory.pdf

[windshieldbug]

What is the serial number?

[humBell]

Sorry i am late to the Couturier discussion, and not sure i have anything to add.

Well done!

[Tubajug]

Very interesting instrument! Those are some wacky circuits!

[bloke]

... He was another person who took a lot of stock in air "flow" rather than in air column vibration. That school of thought exists to this day.

[humBell]

@Basswood1960
Did ya get a chance to play it?

Whatcha think?

And did ya end up getting it?

if you were looking for a tuba, i presume you didn't end up getting it?

Also, please pardon my nosiness, and no need to go out of your way to satisfy my 'satiable curtiosity.