Ophicleide in C

This instrument is associated with the Cyfarthfa Band, one of the greatest and oldest virtuoso nineteen-century brass bands, founded in 1838 by iron magnate Robert Thompson Crawshay. It belonged to Sam Hughes, the most celebrated and the last great ophicleide player. It is a Hughes model ophicleide made of brass with silver trimming and keywork, having a U-shaped conical tube with flared upright bell. It has twelve modern-style cup keys mounted in posts with rods, affixed to plates. The left thumb keys have plastic(?) rollers. The instrument has a detachable, double-coiled crook with ligature screw and a water-key, and there is a large venthole on the bell flare. Nominal pitch: C.