How to identify an antique whistle

Identifying antique whistles is much like being a detective.

Not very hard when you see the hand is still in the cookie jar. In other words sometimes it is obvious of course. Yet even then it may not be as obvious as you would think !!!!

For example, you could find a whistle from the UK that says Walton on it. So the conclusion is that it was made by Walton right ??

Now here is where being a detective comes in.

Background: Walton worked for Hudson as a foreman and left to start his own business. He used his trade skills learned there to compete with his former boss ( usually not looked upon with favor ) He even wrote in his catalog that he had been a foreman for Hudson ( Boy that is ‘gutsy’ don’t ya think ?? )

Hudson then struck back by making similar stamped whistles. They competed fiercely as Gilchrist states in CPWs,until finally Hudson bought out Walton after only 6 years.

Most importantly they bought and apparently used Walton’s very own tools and stamps to fill orders already made. Perhaps using up Walton’s parts.

Do you see what could happen if a Walton whistle is found and assumed it is actually Walton’s ??

It isn’t so much caveat emptor, but the classifier has to beware…