Another interesting whistle went by this week with a stophole in it. It was a taxi call with split windows.

As if having two windows wasn't enough the maker ( Hudson ) decided to fit it with a stophole. You know what that is right ?? The little raised hole that fits into the side or front of the whistle so that you can vary the sound of the whistle.

WHY ??

Been mulling it over all day for some reason…. Morse code you think ???

Perhaps someone would be trying to get the taxi's attention by whistling a full sentence like– Hey there taxi guy, could you pull over to the curb and pick me up ???

Now that would take some quick blowing with dots and dashes and loud ones at that, considering there might be traffic noise and other people trying to get that taxi first just by old fashioned 'fingers in the mouth whistling' or even yelling, not even whistling at all !!!..

You see these stopholes a lot on round whistles, making them look like cyclops, their staring faces looking back at you when they are hanging in your displays. Perhaps people went around 'morseing' a lot 'back in the day' as you don't see them stopholeing much these days or hear them anyway…..

For sure those boyscouts were into signaling each other as their whistles OFTEN had them stopholes. Apparently the guys were more into it them then the gals. Don't see girlscout whistles but rarely with stopholes.

When did stophole come into their own ?? It would seem about circa 1900 ?? Perhaps a bit earlier. So by the turn of the century The whistle manufacturers were primed when the scouting movement arose about 1910.

Earliest stopholes ?? We have one by Dixon pretty early… Wonder what someone was doing stopholing back then ??

Named after an artist Samuel Morse in 1836, it would seem that even if it wasn't used at first for Morse code, it was for extra signalling of SOME SORT huh ?? Cause the whistle was already a signaling device….hmmmm….makes one wonder…..

what are a few things almost as fun as collecting whistles ??

Going back through your own whistles and comparing them sometimes brings rewards as you reclassify what you 'thought' you had.

Well, what about collecting whistle pictures ?? True there are copyrights to consider. Can't legally or ethically take them and post them right ?? However there is personal use. And so there is another area of whistle study, not tooooo far from having the very whstles. Besides can't buy them all !!!!!

Of course the clarity and rotational views of each whistle matter a lot. It is all about likenesses and differences isn't it ?? Gotta see cleeeeearly don't ya think ??? Pixel counls, focus, size, color….

Next to pictures are books to read and reread and reread…. Martyn Gilchrist created a couple of the most rereadable books I have ever looked at.

Well, to be honest there is one more book that one might consider…

COLLECTING: AN UNRULY PASSION by Werner Muensterberger

Dare you to read it ???

Just for the record, when you write in you gotta give your correct email !!! Otherwise it comes off like we are snooty and don't answer your questions   🙂

Recently we had to go to the internet to figure out the provider so as to be able to write back !! It bounced twice. Then we got no response to:  please confirm , that we got thru. Still don't know what happened !!!

Lost in time now….

Another vector is that if you want articles on anything to be written — suggestions are always welcome. Otherwise you might find us writing on parasitic flies like one reader is into. It just might get into the SPOTLIGHT  and then where would you be ?? Not learning about whistles that's for sure !!!!!

Or you might be able to contribute information to an article — whoa !! A collective mind developing ??? Where would that lead ?? Guess we are right back to the more we share the more that likely more whistles will surface …..

How do you like the write in changes ?? Made it more anonymous … Perhaps we can change it even more ?? Maybe make it so that when you write in,  it doesn't actually write in ?? Wait that won't work now will it ??

OK tooooooo anonymous…

What is whistle talk ?? Hmmmm…. I guess that would mean that there would have to be some kind of verbal or written interchange between at least two people about …..  what shall we say ?? WHISTLES ??? Ya think ??????

We decided to help you be more at ease to do this, so we have modified the contact page. Now you don't have to give your name !! Furthermore you don't have to give your phone number !!! Wow totally anonymous !!! Of course an email address is involved ?? Did you want that removed too ?? Kind of a Catch-22 ??? — " I want to write, but I don't want to use my email to do it…. Maybe I could text" … oops that would take a phone number…. carrier pidgeon ?? Nah.

Give in….go for it….just a few key strokes and whistle nirvana ( noun, 3rd definition )

Unfortunately you do have to comment and that seems to be the rub. What to do ??? After thinking about it a LOT… it came to us.

It's that first sentence that is so daunting isn't it ?? No problem. Here is the answerr…. We'll comment for you…. Just pick one of the following ( there's more where these came from you guys ) and we will respond to it. Here you go….

1) Can you tell me anything about my whistle ?? ( picture attached with the handy attachment thingy )
2) How do I get started collecting without spending a lot of money ??
3) Where do I find whistles??
4) How much is my whistle worth?? ( be ready for several responses ranging from nothing,  to 'how much do you want for it' ?? )
5) Is wikipedia accurate ?? ( of course, it is on the internet isn't it ??)
6) Are all your prices firm ?? ( snuck that one in, huh ?? )

Now if you want ( just tell us 🙂 , we can post these starter questions on the website and you can even comment by number. Yeah, you know how EASY that would be ?? Go to the comment page and enter your email and perhaps pictures. Then just type say, #3 under comments.

Easy, cheesy huh ???

We'll check back tomorrow for the flood of numbers….

will whistle prices ever climb out of reach for the average Joe ?? Hard to say .. but they certainly are dragging their feet huh ??

eBay    — rare Walton GSW ( well at least the seller thinks it is a Walton ) asking almost 100gbp BUT — not getting it !!!

            — kinda rare V top Goldsmith Cincinnati escargot only 13 gbp and not selling !!!

there's more jewels out there and the prices despite what some may think –  are NOT really climbing — perhaps just too many whistles or not enough collectors 🙂

Either way a fun hobby still…

here's one of my favorite auction notes to day on eBay about a compass whistle for sale —

quote: Is dented on main body of item and on end but I think this adds to its unique age charm .

Oh really ???

Let me think now, nice house but dented from a car crashing into it, but I think it adds to its charm…

OR great corvette, but dented from skidding onto a telephone pole, but I think it adds to its charm.

OR rare painting,  but torn down the middle, but I think —- no, I don't THINK so…..

hmmmm….

380687650643 on eBay is an 'authentic' Alfred DeCourcy whistle. Selling as old and in great shape 🙂 That is interesting as the company sold out in 1927 !!!

281143036145 also is another 'authentic' whistle made by Auld of Glasgow….odd … they sold out by 1907 ???

261254977919 'vintage' copper and brass bosun whistle ( they are reproductions sold everyday on eBay )

caveat emptor……

well, another show success. LOTS of whistles sold and a few book sets too. Hopefully this will start some more collectors on the trail of whistles and their history. There were 1600 booths this year. 300 outside and 1300 in doors.

Next show is in October, so a period of rest. Time to enter all the SOLD ones on the website 🙂 Hopefully this weekend.

Picked up a few rare whistles lately and will be posting them for you to examine up close.

Following up an interview with the Oregonian last show,  was an interview this show with an antique collectors magazine. There was also some video taken of the booth for possible use on the next shows commercial !!!

We had a corner booth offered to us this time which was fun and then a second booth also was offered, so we ended up with a 10 foot deep by 20 foot long area to fill with tables of whistles. Along with this was a full table of what remains of Martyn Gilchrist's books. A seperate table for chains and upright boards of whistles besides more cases than ever.

Will try to post something soon to share what is hapening in the whistle world here on the west coast of the states.

Perhaps we will try Puyallup in Sept-Oct ??

just got done photographing some whistles for an upcoming SPOTLIGHT — i would tell you about it, but of course something on the same subject would ironically pop up on another website !!! Hmmmm.

In the mean time here is a trivia point if you missed it ??

It is buried in one of the spotlights….

How did the name Porteous get attached to the well known Porteous top whistles ??

Answer… It was actually coined by Martyn Gilchrist who was researching whistles for his books. He wanted to make it easier to know what whistle he was talking about with the globular or spherical tops on tube shaped whistles that he came across.

It turned out that the oldest ones were circa 1860s ( perhaps made by Stevens who later put their name on them when they for sure manufactured them ) that had these tops. So it seemed fitting to nickname them for him. It really helped to set them apart.  Later Dowler and Hudson would start making them,  and finally DeCourcy.

In all only four manufacturers would ever make them. There are of course many variations, but round, spherical tops none the less. Cast, two piece either or.

And there you have it….

https://thewhistlegallery.com/3326/