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I've owned one of these tubas...YEARS ago...and sold it...It was the ORIGINAL William Bell Model Meinl-Weston tuba (before they made the main tuning slide bow wider, as well as changing a bunch of other stuff.

The one that I sold (YEARS ago) had original lacquer, the bell was in "darn good" shape.

This bell is in remarkable-to-astonishing condition, and even it's original cubic hard case shows virtually no wear.

I've done enough research (over the past couple of days) to be pretty confident in what it is, including checking bell tenon dimensions.

The rim (no kranz) measures just about 16-1/4 inches.
The overall height (INCLUDING male tenon) is right at 12 inches.
The male tenon is slightly over 6-1/2 inches o.d...perhaps 6-9/16" ...NOTE: The tenon is TAPERED LARGER as it goes up.

The male tenon is delicate.
There are indentions in it's track where - over-and-over - the bell screws were tightened down in the same place.
They actually "printed through", but I tapped the inside surface flat.
There are barely any scratches in it...about like a week-old brand-new "school" horn.

The engraving style is deluxe.

What troubled me - at first - is that (under everything else) it is NOT engraved "W'm Bell Model" or anything at all.
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I found someone who owns the same instrument (with its original bell) and theirs also doesn't have any "William Bell" engraving on it.

My price is $400 plus shipping.
If you're wondering, YES - this would represent a "profit" - which would be contributed towards Discover Card pay-down (after propping up a couple of my adult children during the last three years).
re "profit": That having been said, I'm not asking $1000 for some thin/refinished 25J or Reynolds 5/4 bell...only $400 for a nearly-mint Meinl-Weston William Bell Model detachable bell (with padded hard case).

To be even more specific, it should fit this EARLY version of the William Bell Model, and my bell is nearly perfect-new looking, and my engraving is more ornate/formal in appearance - compared to that seen in this picture that I found online:



Based on the deluxe engraving style, the lack of "William Bell Model" engraving, and the USA-made GWW case, I would probably guess that the vintage of this bell and case set is early-to-mid 1970's.

That case is really nice!

Hopefully you find a buyer quickly.

I don't know if I've ever seen an old Division of Getzen MW that has the model number also engraved on the bell.

THE BEST USE for this (clearly) is a BELL-CONDITION UPGRADE for someone who owns this model.

OTHERWISE (maybe...if someone has an OLD B/M Symphonic - Boehm & Meinl - LOWER bell and large/tapered female receiver) maybe I could use this-plus-that to replace a trashed bell on (something like...??) an old Meinl-Weston model 20 tuba.

I tend to WONDER whether they B/M Symphonic (Boehm and Meinl) and Melton (Meinl-Weston) bell connectors - from the 1960's - 1970's MAY HAVE (??) been the SAME and made at the SAME PLACE by the SAME PEOPLE...

a bump to encourage anyone who knows someone with one of these vintage instruments with a bell that has obviously been damaged and straightened out a whole bunch of times, and who might really appreciate an opportunity to purchase a replacement correct/genuine bell.

bloke "a niche of a niche market"

I suspect this would fit OTHER (pre-B&S made) Meinl-Weston detachable bell tuba bodies - such as other C rotary models and a detachable model 20 B-flat.

The body receiver would need to be TAPERED, the INTERIOR bottom diameter of the bell RECEIVER would need to be 6-9/16", and the TOP i.d. measurement of the bell RECEIVER would need to be a bit larger than that.