Russian bassoon of maple in three joints with brass ferrules. The crook is of brass, and the bell in the form of a serpent's head is of painted metal. Mouthpiece is of wood. Three keys, six finger holes and one left hand thumb hole.

Also known as variously “bass-horn”, "serpent droit" and “serpent anglais”, the Russian bassoon appeared first in England at the end of the 18th century. With its conical bore and cup-shaped mouthpiece, it is in fact a serpent with a bassoon-like body, a brass crook, and a lip-vibrated mouthpiece. After 1815 the bass-horn became popular on the Continent and was a regular member of military bands throughout Europe until about 1830. As the bass member of the lip-vibrated ("brass") choir, it was superseded first by the ophecleide and later by the tuba.