do you take pix ?? No not copyrighted pix, but actual pictures ? With a camera.

So much easier these days with digital. Just snap them. Load them up to the computor. Crop them. Describe 'em amd voila !! Ready to go into a file.

Well, now you have to create file names I know. —  Like extractors, beauforts etc. etc…. But you have to find them again right ?? Don't want to plow thru 1000s ( yes you will have thousands eventually ) Oh, did I mention there are all those that you took from the internet to keep track of too ?? Gotta keep them seperate you know.

Man o Man starting to get complicated !!! What to do ??  How about this ?? Try keeping them TOTALLY seperate. Your whistle collection and the ones you want to keep track of for the future 🙂

Mine are named Reference Collection ( original I know, thank you ) and all the personal pix I have 'borrowed' for personal use only — they are in a seperate file called Coveting ( a little more original )

The only problem here is remembering to keep those fututre pictures. I went to look up a couple sirens I remembered that I had seen and I went to create a more detailed file and guess what ?? YUP forgot to keep pictures for my self and now they are gone !!! Note to self — save pictures better….

Even the pictures of my own collection don't get always taken if I am really busy. At least those I can stop and take. But those that go by sometimes never come around again — argh !!!

What a knot head…..

gotta admit. Buying thru the internet has its risks. Case in point. Got in a great nickle silver combination whistle today. Tore open the package. —-Love nickle silver , slurp, drool…. Round whistle on one side — including the notched window even. Beaufort on the other side with rings around top and bottom. Looks to be a Hudson. …Then I roll it over and YECH, the ring is broken off and missing !!!

Now I gotta wrestle with the original seller and what do they ALWAYS say ?? I'm no whistle expert. How was I to know ?? —- is what they imply, isn't it ?? Oh really ?? You sell a car and don't notice the handle to the door is missing and there is a broken off spot there on the door ??????? Kind of a clue — ya think ????

Postage paid to get it here and postage paid to send it back — out of you know whos pocket !!!
How to prevent it ?? ALWAYS ask ahead >>>>>  are there any defects ?? I didn't this time, because the seller said "that it was all original condition, Been in a drawer for years".

The picture ( single ) only showed the good side. BOY I can't tell you how many times I have run into that !!! THEY KNOW when they hide the defects…………………Remember to ASK !!!!!!!

Another case in point. Also got in a DeCourcy escargot with one of his distinctive top rings. However roll it over and the bottom is dented. Couldn't see it in the well posed pictures. Now instead of a really nice version in nickel silver ( did I mention my passion for nick….) I gotta sell it off at cost or worse yet, BELOW cost and point out the defect !!! —- Why not send it back ??? Not worth the wrestling match this time.
 

MEA CULPA

Buy from reputable dealers or in person, otherwise….

CAVEAT EMPTOR

what's a teether doing in this section ??

You know I really don't know !! For the record there are hundreds of teether and rattle whistle designs. Mostly silver. But seriously, who is going to blow the whistle ?? — The infant that is teething ?? Perhaps the nanny takes it away from the infant and blows the whistle to ???? Who ??? Sometimes there is no teether or rattle at all and that must be a nanny whistle ?? Again, who is the nanny calling ?? Perhaps it is the mother calling the father or nanny ??

Many times there are bells ( or rattles ) on the whistle/teether and I can see the entertainment there while chewing, if not the danger of choking on one of those small bells that came off,  as they usually did —  as many times they are for sale without some or all of the bells.

Then there is the actual chewing part — made of …..
Coral
Silver
Shell      ( mother of pearl )
Ivory
Bone
It would seem to me that if you ( the baby ) DID cut a tooth, wouldn't you run the risk of chipping your new tooth ?????????? I don't know.

Seems like a dangerous little item, but collectable they are  !! AND they many times have whistles, which brings them to our attention of course.

What is nice about them is that they are for the most part silver. So hallmarks were used on the older ones and that helps to date them and identify the maker. Some whistle collectors JUST collect  teether and rattle whistles. Perhaps there is a crossover to whistles from the overall catagory ??

Don't know that either.  

probably wondering ( or not ) why I ramble on about record keeping, tags, methods ad infinitum eh ?? Well hours later after starting today, I am still amazed at how I can have a whistle marked with the same number as another numbered whistle !!!!

Try as I may, I am constantly going down blind alleys and following lost numbers and finding whistles that have no record….know why ?? I didn't pay THAT much attention to it  ——- at first

Just trying to save ya'll some headaches later. Or even earlier I suppose.

Got it down to a science now….5 years later. Ready for this ??????

STEP ONE — record the whistle ( on the computor for me ) that I have ordered ( all internet now ) — details, details, details aaaand number it.

STEP TWO — write it on the wall dry erase board with date of order

STEP THREE —  it arrives and is PHOTOGRAPHED ( in groups of ten I highly reccomend )

STEP FOUR — picture is numbered after loading up onto the computor and filed.

STEP FIVE — whistle tagged

STEP SIX — marked as received in computor

STEP SEVEN — erased off board

The scary thing is that I could break down these steps into smaller steps !!! ARGH !!!!

Contrast that with buy 'em and pile them. Probably be somewhere in between. Me I gotta have all the details now. Believe me doing all these steps is a lot easier than retroactively building these records.

well,  still getting ready to sell off as many whistles as we can extricate from the boards. Hopefully come back from California a lot lighter, if not bleary eyed from record keeping for four days.

Now where was I ?? Oh, yeah, rhetoric…

Yesterday we mused over what makes a police whistle — a police whistle…today we address the classic, almost iconic METROPOLITAN POLICE  whistle.

How did the name become so pervasive ?? Perhaps all countries are alike in this, certainly it is so in the states —- names get attached to items and almost BECOME those items.

For example, in the states when someone wants a tissue, they ask for a Kleenex. Or if someone wants some angled pliers, they ask for Channel locks. Perhaps you want to wear some blue jeans and you say Levis.

So it goes with the Metropolitan whistle. According to Collecting Police Whistles by Martyn Gilchrist, There was a competition to get the contract for the Metropolitan Police force ( i.e. London Police force )  for using whistles. The  whistle to use was won by Joseph Hudson's company back in the early 1880s. Guess what stamp was used right on the top front ??   YUP,

The Metropolitan
         Police.

The name stuck. OK, weird but true >>>>>>>> it was then used by other police forces along with their particular force ALSO stamped on the front !!  Only now the word Police was moved to the bottom …… An example would be…..

    The Metropolitan
    Shropshire Police

What once was applied to the London Metropolitan Police only, now was used in other cities, counties, etc. !! Confusing ?? A little. Now add to this….

Prisons used the Metropolitan stamp above and the prison name below.
Fire brigades used the Metropolitan stamp above and their fire brigade below.
Railways used their the Metropolitan stamp above and their railway below
Asylums   ibid
Miltary      ditto

get the picture ?? Of course,  Metropolitan became a Trademark of Hudsons supplying those whistles.

Nothing wrong at all here guys, good enterprise really. However in the process, ANY tube shaped whistle stamped The Metropolitan whistle took on the ethereal qualities of ….THE Metropolitan Police whistle. Worse yet, a generic tube shaped whistle could easily be confused as being such.

In conclusion…..

Here is your test question to see how we did. In your travels you come across a whistle that says The Metropolitan.

Is it a genuine police whistle ??
Maybe, maybe not.
What would identify it to be actual police Issue whistle ??

—- the word Police, or the actual police force — make sense ??

my -father's -cousin's -uncle –knew this guy who was a policeman and he used this whislte for years. Wow, really ??

A genuine police whistle ?? OMG !! …. What's wrong with this picture ?? ( what if it was a bosun, that would be a hoot, or should I say toot ?? Or a dog whistle, or slide whistle….. ad infinitum….. ?? )

Technically nothing. It could be totally true !!! Well, all the connections anyway. BUT What makes a police whistle such ??

A stamp, don't ya think ?? Something to show it was issued to a particular police force.  Stamped in production —– from the whistle company. ( I suppose it could even have been engraved afterwards of production. )

However, to get right down to it, there needs to be some form of pedigree. So…..

City, County, Burgh, Borough, Shire, Name of force, Name of City, the exception being a Police/Fire generic stamp —  in all its variations —  at least says POLICE on it !!! . ALL OF WHICH POINT TO THE POLICE FORCE THAT ISSUED IT. Now things have been elevated when it comes to collecting don't you think ?? No longer saving a whistle due to sentimentality alone, but because it was issued —–perhaps even numbered for them.

Is this toooooo anal ?? Toooooooo picky ??       …….hmmmmm…….

No different with fire or fire brigade whistles — right ??

Mental hospital whistles.

Scout whistles.

Military whistles 

*************All of these need identification ON THEIR OWN MERIT !!!!!! ***********************************

Why all the hubbub, bub ?? Collectability of course. Categories. There are parameters now. An outline to work within.

Probably good at this point to give some thought to an iconic name now ??  — The Metropolitan Police whistle….

nah….tomorrow……

How far do I go with cleaning ?? Asked by a collector I thought to give it a little extra thought….

I never would fail to clean a whistle. Why you ask ?? Good question 🙂

We should always clean everything we own is the no brainer here. However what is clean ??

Well, first has to do with germs don't ya think ?? All one needs is a little bleach in some water. If your clothes turn white you probably went too FAR !!!! And if it burns well, you know 🙂 However ya really need to address those germs. YOU might want to blow that whistle or your kid or ?? I know ya don't want to give it any thought, but the more it has been blown the more SPIT went through it huh ?? I know — YECH !!! Saliva…….

So you might want to even soak it over night….

Next what about corrosion ?? Light rust, dirt etc. A toothbrush and clean water works well and does NOT STRIP !!! Patina is everything to some collectors. We need to all respect that to a point I suppose. Especially in the brass realm. Maybe take a small dental tool or whatever and clean out the fur balls that have accumulated ?? Test it then ?? Of course…der !!… If it doesn't work is it really a whistle ?? Gotta make a sound, so you might have to tweak it a bit. Careful to use flat tools though !!! Tools with teeth leave teeth-marks different than the teeth marks on the whistle that are "supposed" to be there !

Next, do I strip it ?? Well is it so corroded that you can't see it ?? Perhaps. If so, then it is a personal decision, but one that needs to be made. Try this … WAIT !!! I know, you just got it in and want to really fix 'er up. BUT if you wait, then the decision is sooooo much easier to make. After a while it may grow on you OR you may just hate the looks. NOW you will KNOW what to do.

What if it is nickle silver ??? hmmmmm have to address ( or undress ) that later dudes….

back from the weekend and been thinkin….what's all the fuss about rare whistles ?? In fact what is rare ?? I guess beyond the obvious is that there is a synthetic rare and a de facto rare.

Let's break it down. First synthetic might be created. How might that occur with a whistle ?? First one that comes to mind is the WINCHESTER 1806 escargot !!! Yup, stamp that on a whistle and there is a clamoring for it because of all the Winchester collectors. Demands 300 dollars or more. And voila — rare is created. On the other hand the model 1807 Winchester GSW, which is truly rare, costs even more as we saw earlier this year on eBay. ( a really low quality tube whistle by the way )

Interestingly enough, the 1806 is very well made by an unknown manufacturer ( possibly German and yes you heard it here first ). It followed earlier designs with different stamps and when it came out in production, it was already improved upon. Earlier and rarer stamped examples of rougher construction with Wilson, or Referee ( upside down circa 1916-20 ) and other stamps were made. But now the conundrum occurs. WHICH is the whistle collector going to search for ?? The one in demand — or the one actually rarer ?? OUCH !!! What to do ??

Really a wrestling match isn't it ?? Do I collect the Winchester escargot, and especially the OTHER model, 1805, because of the different number and pay TOP dollars for it ?? It amounts to $300.00 for the 1806, $400.00 for the 1805, $500.00 for the 1807.

OR do I buy THE EXACT SAME ESCARGOT WHISTLE WITH THE STAMP REFEREE on top –  the right side up stamped version circa 1922.for under 5 bucks !! THE 1807 IS A CLONE OFTHREE OTHERS KNOWN — EXACTLY THE SAME WHISTLE BUT EASY TO FIND STAMPS !!!!! Another 5 bucks. Oh my, I have just spent 10 dollars 🙂

What are we examining here?? Do we collect for the design, sound, use….or because we are chasing what we are told is collectable ????????

Remember the story of the kings clothes ??

Boy, can those bosun whistles get spendy or what ?? Ya just don't see very many bargains on those do ya ??

So, a decision is calling out to me. Do I cross that bridge and get into them ?? True, they are whistles and we do look for whistles and…well, yeah every reason to do so.

However, there is that price tag. For the 'less to do'  ones like me and you,  it means a commitment of money to get to the good ones.

This seems to be the case with CROSSOVERS  doesn't it ??

Corkscrews

Compasses

Knives

Extractors

Cylcing

Police

Fire

Yeah, I think we all get the point. In the whistle realm there are all those CROSSOVER attachments, but of course, as they were made for their use !!! So, how serious is the whistle world ?? Not very much apparantly as we typically pay low 🙂

Perhaps one day we too will make the opposition shudder…

Well, it is official now. The collection has become corrupted….

Found a really great horn whislte, flat with dual chambers. Circa 1900 or earlier. That's three NON – METAL whistles now… oops, over the top …… Add to this one the huge curved horn whistle with silver clad top and bottom and the really interesting 'Gillies' whistle from Scotland made from antler and clad in the middle with silver and scrolling —  well you have the picture. I've lost all purity with metal only. What's next ?? Ivory, bone, plaaaaaaastic argh !!!!

I have finally gotten down to just one silver whistle, and I keep it only because we picked it up in DC on a family trip before we really even got into whistles ( well that is my story and I'm sticking to it ). Stupid little pineapple shape and all…. But I did get that American made cased silver military whistle recently….what's happening to my resolve ???

Might as well just turn to paper whistles 🙁

Problem is that  horn, antler, hoof, wooden and the likes have been too well made to pass by if you know what I mean ??? Maybe it is all those railway whistles that have been wearing me down with that dark sheen of buffalo horn. Whoah…Shoulda seen it coming with those two persistant whistles in the upper left corner of my variety cabinet.

Still, I absolutely refuse  to start dipping into silver. Not gonna happen….. Not me….. However, there is that really cool cycling beaufort that I keep eyeing……Nah, too spendy….