How well does one know their collection of whistles ?? The reason I ask is that I was at the reference collection yesterday and found an escargot made by De Courcy in with the Hudsons whistles !! OMG !!!  A small oversight, but understandable the way that the escargot was made. Only the slightest differences, but HEY — there are differences !!!

SO sometimes there can be whistles to be had in our own collection that we 'FIND' so to speak. Of course, this is written to all those who have some whistles already, but it is worth thinking about for the future when collecting whistles. The more you accumulate and go through,  the more chances you will see what you missed the first time around due to not having an educated eye ( yet )

We grow in knowledge and the re-examination of our existing whistles is ALWAY worth renewed vigor. Soooooo, write in pencil on those tags…..

To tag 'em or not to tag 'em — what do you do to keep track of those whistles ??? At first one may think they know the faces of each of their children and while that may be true, eventually there are twins born or even triplets !!! Besides THAT,  it is a little more than bewildering ( and intimidating ) how many ways there are to make a whistle !!!! You will end up with FAR more than you thought you would.

So save yourself some real trouble and decide early how to mark those whistles. Personally we have settled on metal ring key tags. You can figure out what works for you best in whatever storage containers or racks you use …. For us though no string to fight with at all, just a jump ring. And the tag folds behind the whistle hanging from the hooks. There is a front and back to the tag so plenty area to write. BUT what do you write on the tag ???? Good question 🙂

First, an access number is really helpful. That way you can refer to your more detailed records in your computer or filing system, without having to fit it all on the tag. We are at #1829 – not that we have that many whistles , some are long gone now. But it is a system to organize your soldiers under. Next, the maker ?? If you know or 'unknown' maker if not — you will get a LOT of that one before it's over …..

After that the date it was made or if not exactly known write 'circa' and then estimated date or period. Optionally you can put the length, material, weight and oh, almost forgot … you will likely put the type ( i.e.scout,police,cycling, fire brigade etc. ) and stamping. This is often a distributor name and with either – the address if there. Perhaps the country of origen ??

Why all this info ?? Well tags come off or get moved and it will only fit that one description now won't it ?? Also, there may be details about it you forgot — yeah even with that incredible vise like memory of yours !!! Details about the construction are favorites with us.

So there you have it. Then again, there is the cost of those tags that take money that could better be used for whistles……Grrrr……

Had the privilege to meet ( by phone ) a neo whistle collector yesterday. Not a novice to collecting either, but a veteran of the fields. It always amazes me to watch how quickly a hobby can be picked up, but really it only makes sense doesn't it ?? Mostly the trails are all the same, just different circles.

For me though it is a PRIVILEGE. Why,  you ask ?? Because that is how we learn…from others. Let's contrast the two directions for a moment. Say you try to learn everything about rare, vintage, antique whistles by yourself. How would you do that ?? Well, you could travel ( a LOT ) and pick up what you haphazardly might find. OR you could go to the internet, phone and personal visits to other collectors and exponentially you can grow in knowledge and experience.

Then there are concerted efforts to find and share things. Oh sure there is competition over getting them, but hey, do you really think you can afford them all ??? The lake is much deeper than you imagine. You will never get to the bottom !!! Besides that sometimes you can look for each other and share even the whistles themselves ?? I know, I know, collectors almost NEVER let go once they have their hands on them. But that doesn't have to be whern you get the right mind set—-YOU GET MORE BY SHARING.

Try it out in your head. Take 50 whistle collectors that bring 5 of their rare, antique, vintage whistles to a large room that is quite comfortable to sit down for a bit in. Then you all sit with your whistles hidden in your pockets. What could possibly be gained ?? Perhaps some interesting discussions. Now, everyone take out their least favorite they brought. Now things start clicking !!! And the next one? And the next one???  Get connected. You know, like axons and dendrites….I am sure you get the point….

got an interesting escargot in yesterday. I just love it when I get some whistles in and I am after one particular whistle in the bunch, but right NEXT to the one I want is a surprise !!! — Did that yesterday 🙂 — Just a plain looking escargot– kinda generic in the picture… but too plain maybe  ?? So I open the package and here is this escargot and it strikes me as odd….It has a brass knop ( as the plating is worn off from age ) but the front looks like steeeeeel ooooo……hmmm….interesting….. Then I turn it sideways and yup, steeeeel ( as you might have guessed I have been getting enamored with steel lately ) There is some plating still on ( very annoying really ), but as I glance it once over now I see that the entire escargot is steel – minus the knop ( ratz !! ) WOW !! Whata find !!! So next I trot ( well, almost ) over to the reference collection and scour the wall for steel escargots….nope, none. well maybe a couple candidates that are plated too well to see better. BUT I have only noticed plated brass myself !!! Not something one thinks about alot I admit. But I have been thinking about it a LOT lately, obssesing really. Yet isn't that how we learn ?? I mean obssessng and all ?? Anyway back to the surprise. That plating is bugging me so I steal over towards the shop and turn the electric wire wheel on and strip off the plating left. And now it is enitrely cleaned up. not polished though, I hate that, but just enough to soak and clean a little with WD40 and it is ready. I get a steeeel chain and hook to attach and it is ready for the wall !!!! so much to talk about –this subject of steeeeeel, but with who ????? Is anybody even listening ????

Been writing for what seems a month now. In reality, more likely a week. Turns out it takes about five hours on average ( so far ) to write up one SPOTLIGHT for ‘the website’. I am into my 5th article now, so you can do the math. I ask myself why do I DO it anyway ?? Bottom line is that I have only a very few collectors to talk to about whistles ( and they are rather reticent most of the time), so my guess is that I have created a mirror image to visit with, sorta like when my father developed alzheimers and used to have random conversations with himself in his room ( i.e.office ). It has helped me a lot more than I thought it would though, collecting my thoughts and all, making me verify things that I thought I knew more about, really pinning down  missing information and what not. So here goes my first blog. Getting the website going has been no easy task either. Can’t afford to pay top dollar of course ( who can ? ),  so after several tries my daughter baled me out and is building The Whistle Gallery.com. Still getting to the For Sale section and that will probably be next year before I can start loading that up. Finally have our prints ordered and they will be here this week. I loved the print so much I have one framed and matted for the pool room here !! After all it was arranged from the different cabinets in the reference collection and doesn’t exist here anywhere now….except in the framed print. Now I have to learn about  watermarks and copyrights — ARGH !!!

Hope you like the website. Suggestions welcome.  It has a been brainchild for YEARS !!!! Finally a place where whistle collectors ( sorry, metal only, no tin 🙂 can cross paths at. We trade in a lot of whistles each year. But if you are serious about learning, it is like the woman said, “you have to kiss a lot of frogs” so we have to sell off regularly. We started selling at the Portland Expo and at Alameda naval base in California and that has helped to keep the collection down. Always a goal we work on. After 5 years of serious collecting we are proud to say we have no more than 700 in the reference collection. Compare that to Whistle Willie who has over 10,000 !!!! Well, makes us feel better anyway.

Back I go  to SPOTLIGHT 5… ( looks to be well over my average time )