“It’s harmony in plumbing!”
In 1968, Mattel released Bath-House Brass, a set of toy musical instruments that allowed children to turn bath time into a melodic production.
Junior musicians could choose from three cleverly designed instruments: a Flooglehorn, Tooba, or Brassoon. The instruments featured brass-plated plastic bells and a pressure bulb with a faucet-shaped handle and a spigot-like mouthpiece.
The entire Bath-House Brass line drew inspiration from another popular musical noisemaker for kids, a kazoo. Each instrument was played by humming; alternating pitch and speed yielded different “notes”.
BRASS BAND
In conjunction with the release of Bath-House Brass, Mattel also rolled out a musical group of teenagers bearing the same name. The official Bath-House Brass band released an EP that featured two songs, “It’s a Gas” and “Davy,” and it was distributed by Capital Records.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Bath-House Brass can be hard to come by on the secondary market, especially in new and unused condition, enhancing its desirability.
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