Frederik August Klemm was born in Neukirchen in 1795. He moved to Philadelphia PA in 1819 and with his brother John George Klemm, served as both woodwind and brass instrument makers until c.1880.  In 1825 they also started a pianoforte factory. From 1857 to 1879 they made instruments at 705 Market St  in Philadelphia. It is thought that some of their brass instruments could have been  imported from the parent Klemm workshop in Neukirchen.

This  tuba is equipped with 3 "Berliner Pumpen" valves in an unusual  configuration on the front of the tuba and slanted upward - an early adaptation of the front action valves found on much later instruments (scroll down for detail photos).  The tuba also has a slightly  larger bell flair than the narrow saxhorns of the mid 1900s and may be considered a true tuba. It has a round lyre holder and no waterkey - consistent with CW era instruments.