>http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1422725963
>
>(www.ebay.com - item #1422725963)
>
>Looks neat - but not quite what I've been looking for.
>
>Anyone know much about this beastie?

Yes, this is a rothophone: essentially it is a sarrusophone in the
shape of a sax. Should sound almost identical to a sarrusophone of
the same pitch, although I think it probably takes a bassoon reed (or
a reed of similar size and construction) instead of an oboe reed.
Bottali invented the rothophone around the turn of the century and
named it after Roth. It never caught on outside Italy. When Bottali
was finally bought by Orsi, Orsi renamed it the saxorusophone, a name
combining the saxophone and the sarrusophone (according to Grove's,
this was in an attempt to sell off the old inventory they'd inherited
along with the rest of Bottali). Because they never caught on, they
are even more rare than sarrusophones: very much a collector's item.

Rothophones were made in sizes ranging from soprano to bass, each
shaped roughly like the corresponding saxophone. I've never played
one, but I'd expect it to sound a lot like a sarrusophone (and
probably indistinguishable). The real question is: what pitch does
the horn play at? It could be F or Eb, low pitch or high pitch. I'd
ask what pitch it is, whether tuned to A440 or something else, and
the condition of the pads and keywork.

Enjoy!

Grant

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green gdgreen@...
http://www.contrabass.com
Professional Fool -> http://www.mp3.com/ProFools
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++