This large four rotary valve BBb tuba is one of the finest BBb tubas in the collection. It was made circa 1900 by the German maker Rudolf Sander. Sander made instruments from about 1885 to 1910. His instruments were considered some of the finest of their time and the famous American tuba artist August Helleberg played his instruments. The entry for Sander in the New Langwill Index mentions that Sander also produced a “Monster” CCC tuba for the Sousa Band during that time.

I purchased a four rotary valve CC tuba from August Helleberg’s last living son, who was over 90 years old at the time, in 1964 and used it for several years in the North Carolina Symphony. This large BBb is a superior instrument to my smaller CC.

Markus Theinert, the current CEO for the German maker Miraphone, and a very fine tuba soloist, played our Sander BBb tuba while visiting the collection in the 1990’s. Markus told me then that he thought it was one of the best BBb tubas he had ever played. We are proud to have this fine instrument in our collection. VS.

Tag #: 01363
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“SANDER / WOLFSTEIN / PFALZ” on bell. No serial number could be located on body of instrument.