Posted by Rick Denney on August 10, 2002 at 21:45:39:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Cerveny Serial numbers posted by Christian Klein on August 09, 2002 at 17:43:39:
Part of the problem is that Cerveny built their own horns with archaic detailing, and sold archaic parts to other makers. I had a Musica F tuba that was definitely made no earlier than the 80's that also had a bottom-bow comb and clock-spring linkages. The finger paddles were the Cerveny old-style formed, round paddles, but it had (lousy) ball-and-socket linkages. I bought it in about 1988 from a used source, but it appeared to be in like-new condition without a blemish. I was actually a very nice F tuba up high. It was marked "Made in Austria" but I think that was a myth.
My 1984 Sanders/Cerveny had the same "Made in Czechoslovakia" inscription you describe on the receiver. It also didn't have Cerveny anywhere on it, but it was a Cerveny all the same. It had the bottom-bow comb, but more modern wire-spring linkages. I don't think there's a specific time before which clock springs were used and after which wire springs were used. I suspect that they used both for a long time depending on which supplier was favored by the central planners at the moment.
I note from the Amati site that the tuba you linked to is called the "Harmony."
I've never heard anyone suggest that Cerveny had any sort of consistent serial-number policy. Some European tuba makers still don't serialize their instruments.
Rick "who thinks dating Cervenys with precision is just about impossible" Denney