055 – Napa Round (Special Edition)

Spotlight > Whistle Categories Round > 055

 

From an estate in California, Napa Historical Society dates this whistle to the first fire chief of Napa.

Only 6CM long, but quite heavy is this wonderful brass round whistle for this month’s SPOTLIGHT concentrating on a mono-typical round. Special features are as follows:

  1. Solid stock brass round
  2. Concave mouthpiece
  3. Convex top to the fipple
  4. Removable fipple
  5. Set screw

Napa Round 01

At first glance just looks like a heavy brass round. Unusual to find any round made in the states of brass, but still typical overall design. Then it turns sideways and it takes on a need for closer examination.

Napa Round 02

Looking closer it appears that the screw on the side is not merely for holding the fipple in place like so many rounds do dating back into the 1800s – wooden fipples mainly at that.

Napa Round 03

Yes, the screw appears to be able to be taken out and re installed for a purpose.

Napa Round 04

Surprisingly when the screw is removed the fipple is cut so closely that a light twist is all that is needed to remove the fipple. Of course it takes a slight twist to reinstall. Fits like a glove and allows the owner to clean the whistle out from useage. The round pea is made of wood.

Napa Round 05

Here is a close up of the fipple removed.

Napa Round 06

Peering inside the installed fipple one sees the raised center of the top of the fipple for assisting the pea to roll when used.

Napa Round 07

And there is a tooth grip for the hands to be kept free.

Napa Round 08

Apparently the top was also applied after drilling out the solid stock.

Napa Round 09

 

TWG.

Posted February 5, 2016

 

Addendum:                Posted June 23, 2018

This is an older version of the same concept. It’s very unusual to see a removable fipple and so we’re including it to compare to the Napa. This sold on auction for well over $200 !!

round 2 piece a

round 2 piece d

round 2 piece b

round 2 piece c

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