One of four instruments recovered from German trenches in 1915 during World War I, this copper bass tuba in B flat was produced by August Clemens Glier (1846–1897) in Markneukirchen, Germany, and is missing its second valve’s finger tip. It has extensive damage to its bottom bow, perhaps the impact site of a projectile. A third generation instrument-maker, Glier and his company were a major supplier of congregational brass ensembles, Posaunenchor, and were known worldwide for their brasses, strings, and woodwinds, while also producing zithers and bandoneon concertinas. After his death, the company was overseen by his sons, Otto Clems and Albert Paul, and disbanded in 1961. This particular tuba is curious for its coating—it is smeared with black shellac in an apparent attempt to mask the reflective glint of the instrument’s brass. During World War I, many of the traditional silver and brass fittings on military uniforms and helmets were swapped for steel and iron parts, often removable, for reasons of cost and because they could be oxidized or painted to dull their appearance and offer greater concealment. This was in line with the German shift toward Feldgrau (field-gray) uniforms from 1915 onward.