It’s a love/hate relationship with the internet and whistles now isn’t it ?? Why say that ?? Well, one can’t get around the earth like ya can on the world wide web. So many more whistles can be found by knowing where to look.

Yet, there is definitely a CAVEAT EMPTOR  isn’t there ?? Yes, hidden defects. All the seller has to do is turn a whistle just right and voila !! The defect is hidden. Then write something small about it or nothing at all  and wow, watch out you don’t get stung.

Here’s the rub. If you get it cheap enough, it isn’t worth trying to  get your money back !! After all the postage is lost no matter what. Gotta really examine those pix or even ask for more…

Bought a dog whistle the other day and got stung. Actually bought the whistle just to get the case it came in and was going to sell off the sterling silver whistle, but WAIT !! The end of the case had been ‘cut out’ for the whistle to protrude. Chopped out really.

Now looking at the pictures again one could see from an angle a little bit of the defect. OUCH !! Just a smidge lacking in honesty there and  NOTHING describing it in writing —

Beware, it happens to us all…

Pictures —
ALL angles
Lots of them
Clear too
carefully read descriptions — ask questions….

on line auctions are great aren’t they ?? I mean who can travel enough to find unearthed treasures ??

BUT if one gets enough on line auctions watched and followed, then there is always something going each week !! LOT’s of whistles !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think of the different venues around the world !!! AND in different languages ( google translate )

Then there are all those antique dealers around the world to talk to that come across whistles.

Yah, it is a world market now, why shy away ?? Cause it seems like too much trouble ?? Really ?? Isn’t searching through old shops tiring and most times fruitless ??

Just sit back, listen to music, sip a cool drink or even have a snack and hunt for a new whistle connection and who knows what further  whistles will come of it !!!!

Gotta work smart not hard….

Why sell antique whistles ?? In fact, why ask ?? Well, for one thing you will never make money !!!

So what is the motivation ?? Advertising !!! Constantly the number one comment on a sale display is ” I never knew there were so many whistles !! ” Then we tell ’em, that we only collect metal. There are bone, ivory, wood, plastic…..

Then there is safety. Clearly half of what we sell are whistles under 20 dollars each. Junkers. Some we ‘donate’ to the kids. But who buys the utility ones ?? >>> Boaters, Kayakers, hunters, walkers, cyclers, hikers, late might shoppers. No money there for sure, but what a way to teach people about whistles !!!

Oh sure there are a very few real collectors and it is a struggle to find whistles for them. Mostly they ‘graduate’ to finding them on their own. So why bother ??

1) gets us away for a weekend three times a year ( well, two this next year )
2) Great conversations for THREE days about our favorite subject !!!
3) TEACHES whistles —- same as our website !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4) helps us to rotate out for further research. So some sell at cost or just above.

However there is food, travel, booth expenses, parking expenses, loss time off work….

It all takes funds, work and to be honest we have never even come close to breaking even. Perhaps the -tax write off- is the best deal going for a hobby so obscure.

So why not try it ?? Go to a flea market or antique sale and set up a table or booth and try to sell off some of your whistles ?? Sound absurd ?? Too much work ?? Yes, it is a sacrifice to an extent. But it is worth it !!! Get those whistles out there !!! In the process you will have a ball meeting new friends personally, finding and collecting and learning about YOUR favorite subject !!!!

Funny, some would claim that we profit off selling whistles !!!! BIG DOLLARS !!!– ought to try it sometime and see 🙂

The whistles are flying back and forth in Portland !! Hundreds have moved in and out. — How is that ?? The friends are bringing in whistles to give us now !!! Yup, a few have decided to give us ones they have 'graduated' past and we pass them on to the young ones who can't afford even the least expensive ones — works great !! We have a dog whistle to place and several escargots now   🙂

Then there are the collectors who know their stuff and only buy the best and rarest. Like a Schwarz German military WW11, a Ward slider circa 1890, a spherical Ward cycling whistle circa 1890, a nickle silver Liverpool with liver bird DeCourcy polioce whistle, a Barrall police circa 1890 …. Perhaps the Porteous 4 tube wind instrument from 1845 will go today ????? A buyer of very good taste has been eyeing it !!!!!!

Many first time buyers looking for safety whistles, presents and memories.

Beyond that those who want a genuine police whistle from England named after robert Peel called a Bobbie whistle and find a nicklesilver Metro with police numbers on them. We brought in about 60 whistles for that last show and there are about 20 left now.

A few are starting collections, buying either random cross sectional whistles or focusing on escargots or the like.

— and of course whistle books are essential for learning  — of which we have sets of three we have been selling for a show special price !!!

Yuchy outside this time of year, but warm and fun inside !!! Noisy too, testing out those sirens, sliders, and train whistles — several sound effect whistles from the 1920s too.

We'll look for you !!!! LAST day !!!

The only booth in the world dedicated to just whistles !!! All metal, no tin     🙂

( we will be away in March, so nothing till July after this weekend )

one of the best things going to keep whistle prices down is coming from an unlikely source it now seems !!!

The Post Office !!!

How is that we wonder ??

Well, what does one do when wanting to buy a whistle and a seller says that they only send by signed for delivery.

Well and good for the seller, as they are assured that their whistle gets to its destination and they don't have to worry about any claims.

However what is the cost ?? Hardly does anyone want to pay all the extra cost ( and it can be easily over 20 dollars US )

So, let's do the math….10 dollar whistle, perhaps 20 dollar whistle now doubles !!! Or a 40 dollar whistle now is 30% more !!! Not rocket science when you see a whistle for sale and it sits at a low price and then sells at a low price.

Interestingly we have bought hundreds of whistles in the last few YEARS and not one has gone missing.

The conclusion ?? We buy less. We watch postage.

why buy rare whistles ?? They are going up in price for one thing.

But beyond that —————  for trading of course !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BETTER than baseball cards ( well the card guys might beg to differ )

But really now, doesn't it double your ability to get a better collection ?? Think about it. You can only find different whistles on any given day and what if you go weeeeeeks without finding any ?? Or even mooooooonths !!!

In the mean time what if you come across some rare ones but they are duplicates ???

Scarf them up and write others about trading them and voila !! You have done a magic trick 🙂 — You just CREATED another way to find rare whistles….

Of course one has to network with other collectors and communicate — Oh, yech, did I say that ??? Sorry, reticence is the name of the game for most…..

but is it wisest ??

Happy hunting.

well, only a few weeks till the next sale of antique and vintage whistles at the Portland Expo antique sale. Over a thousand booths and there we are tucked in the middle 🙂

All the prices are reduced due to the great turnover. Not like internet sales that sometimes sit for months !! We will sell over a hundred to two hundred whistles in two days !!!

There will be over a hundred and fifty unlisted whistles not yet seen on line too.

From common utility whistles for safety to the rarest like an 1845 four tube Porteous Wind Instrument —

Scouts,rare mankers,police,fire, dog,bosun,beauforts,escargots,buttons,dula, and three chamber,sirens,sliders….

October 25th-26th and 27th ….

C YA ….

What do you do if you want to sell your general service ( generic ) whistle on the internet ???

First, adverstiiiiiizzzzzze it as a genuine POLICE WHISTLE whistle — that always gets their attention !!!

Then,  say that you don't know anything about whistles ( that helps clarify things too )

Next, say that your uncles cousin worked for the police in a fairmonty, Alaska province or just outside of it. Back when he was 25 and he is retired now.

Of course say it is very rare, that REALLY helps. No, seriously !!!!

Lastly, say to look carefully at the pictures ( fuzzy ones ) as they are the best caveat emptor to close the deal with.

Oh, and ask any questions to be before you buy !!! Like what you ask ??

Try this one…. what police force is actually stamped on the whistle……. Uh Oh…….

Now on the other hand taking pictures is just as important as looking at other peoples pix in the whistle world !!!

Digital cameras are not that expensive and even cell phones work good enough now. All you gotta do is patch them or even email them to your computer and your oiff and running !!!

Sounds tooooooo easy doesn't it ??

It is !!!!

Try it for fun with your cell phone. Take random whistle pictures and send them to your email on the computer and open them up and file them in a holding file. —- It is just good practice for anything !!!!

NEXT, start taking them in different light. Say for instance, in low light. Just practice that way and put them in your low light file.

NEXT take them in high-light and do the same.

Lastly take them with mixed lots of whistles — because dark and shiney don't mix well and the practice sessions bring that out.

voila….you are an accomplished cell phone picture taker !!!

going along with clear pictures is another thought to remember– MORE !!!

What's wrong with asking for more pictures ?? Better angles and mooooooore of them.

In fact 360 degrees of them is best — it only takes ONE dent or scratch to ruin a whistle !!!!!!!!!!

Closeups really help, especially if you can see inside at all too 🙂

However some hold back from asking —- whyyyyyy ??

1) too much time spent with emails to bother with ??
2) might think that more pictures would be posted or sent out to others and a 'good one' get away or go into the  stratospheric price heaven ??
3) don't want to bother the seller
4) lazy
5) can't open attachments
6) Didn't know one could 🙂

If you buy from afar — pix are your best friends….