An old tuba tuned in BBb. It carries the inscription "Joseph van Zypen, Wien 1873". My investigations have not found an instrument maker of that name, thus it could instead be the name of the owner. The tuba is equipped with "Berliner pumpen", a short thick valve type These valves mute certain tones, while other tones passes wihout being muted. That cause this valve type to disappear from new instruments after the late 1800's. A curosity of this tuba is that it uses "swedish" valve combination, this is when the third valve does lower the tone 2 whole tones instead of the usual 1 1/2 tone step. the "swedish" system is also seen in France and Belgium, and enables the tuba to play the deep G, just remember that the valves uses other combinations. Why a tuba in Wienna uses Swedish valve combination is a riddle to me, not least when the tuba ends up in Denmark, where it was discarded in 1950 and put away on a loft. I got it down from that loft in 1984, it was then dirty, so dirty that I was refused admission to a citybus. In its working days, the tuba was known as "Joseph" due to the name on the plate, and this name is still used. With a weight of just 4 kilograms, Joseph was very useful on a journey to Belgium, where we played up to 12 places each day. This old instrument has "personality", only a player who accepts that can play on it.

"Joseph" just brought home.           Berliner Pumpen

Normal valves 1+3   = 2+3   = 1+2+3  = (n.a.)

"Swedish" valves 2+3 3 1+3 1+2+3

Other valve combinations unchanged
("Normal" is on the basis of a 3 valve instrument) This valve system avoids the use of all valves down, as this mutes the tone a little. Better cromatic characteristics should also be obtained.

Ohtern information
Made by: J. van Zypen Wienna?
Made in: 1872-1873
Materials: Tombak-Brass and German silver, no lacquer.
Sizes: Bell diameter: 31cm (12 1/4"), height: 92 cm. (36 1/4")
Condition: Ready for use, requires experienced player