Up for sale is a really interesting Eb sousaphone made by H. Jay in the early-mid 1900s! It does show some signs of mild dent removal, and a few solder touch ups over the years, but it still looks/plays remarkably well for its age, and has plenty of music left in it! Jay manufactured brass instruments in Chicago from 1910 to 1946, and used’Columbia’ as a trade name. Serial number is 9,5XX, making this either a very early model, or one of only a very few that were made, compared to most manufacturers at the time. Harry Jays claim to fame was what he patented as the reverse leadpipe. Basically, one of the Main tuning slide. Inner legs comes out from the body of the horn rather than both legs on the slide being inner legs. The back of the bell (which is 24 in diameter) has a beautiful floral engraving of the Make/Model. The gooseneck thats on it now appears to be just a steel or silver plated brass pipe that has been bent to shape so that it could be used without tuning bits. It seems to work well enough as is, but it definitely looks improvised/DIY. Any brass tech should be able to whip up a custom-made neck (or find an old one that fits) pretty easily if the next owner does want to replace it. All valves have been oiled and move smooth and quick! All slides have been greased and can be pulled by hand! Several solder touch ups as pictured but every joint looks rock solid! Theres plenty of patina all over the silver plating on this horn, but it looks good as is too, so the next owner can decide whether to get give it a good polish! There are a couple spots that have been polished, like around the engraving; and the guard brace on the back of the bell has been polished almost entirely to the shiny silver plate underneath all the patina. The inside of the bell is in gold laquer, and shows a fair bit of wear consistent with its age, but still looks good overall. Several minor dings, dents, and scuffs as pictured. Its also a pretty heavy horn for an Eb, with a very thick gauge brass and lots of beefy bracing/guards, that comes in at about 25 Lbs when assembled body is about 15 Lbs, the bell is about 10 Lbs. It’s certainly not a pristine horn, but all around a solid and really interesting piece of history that has been maintained pretty well. Perfect for a player wanting a unique horn or for connoisseurs of old brass! The item “Vintage Eb Columbia Sousaphone by Harry Jay in Fair playing shape” is in sale since Sunday, August 19, 2018. This item is in the category “Musical Instruments & Gear\Brass\Tubas”. The seller is “bison7585″ and is located in Stuart, Florida. This item can’t be shipped, the buyer must pick up the item.

• Key: Eb
• Model: Columbia
• MPN: Does Not Apply
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Brand: H.B. Jay