whistles for sale

October 15, 2014 by

well, it is only 2 weeks till the Portland Expo Antique show. Can’t wait !!! Cause all the sales ?? Noooo !! Cause all the whistle talk !!! Yah, people come from everywhere and say ” I never knew ” !!!

a couple times now we have just covered our expenses is all. Thankfully we haven’t lost money even once – why ?? There are other like hearts out there !!!!

AND there are books to look at together with all the different categories. After all can’t bring everything to the show, but can bring lots of pictures.

Sometimes we get to buy whistles there too 🙂 Got some real jewels that actually came to the booth ( a corner booth this year )

Mostly it is just fun to get saturated with whistles for three days solid. This year we will be featuring starter sets. Some of escargots, some of rounds, some of mixed whistles. Just a way to jump into collecting and not just safety whistles for the hikers, cyclers etc.

Hope to C YA

 

Filed Under: Shows

collectible whistles

October 14, 2014 by

Why are whistle so much more collectible than coins ?? Can’t spend them like coins. Can’t put them in those neat and tidy little coin books. Can’t date them as accurately. Can’t find as many avid other collectors for sure….

However they are gaining ground AND perhaps increasing in value quicker ??

there are similarities though in grading and condition. They can be stored and studied as well. Then there is the history, the connections to makers, the uses.

They do have one great advantage that trumps all coins….you can blow on them and they make sound

🙂

Some are sirens, some are sliders, some are tweeters, some are much louder, some sound like trains, some trill, some…

Need I go on ??? Sooooo much more interesting…..

Filed Under: Uncategorized

unibody whistles

October 12, 2014 by

Now there’s a face that only a mother’s love could take !!!

NOBODY collects unibody whistles right ??

Ahem….

What ?? Are you kidding ?? NOOOOOO they don’t all look alike at all !!!!!! That really hurts !!!!!

Just look at the different scout unibodies for instance. Separate manufacturers for BOY and GIRL scouts ( Hudson and B&R ) — yeah, that’s what I’m talking about !!! and they are always brass with that dark patina.

Then there are different countries that manufacture them in nickel silver and plated brass. Interesting chains too.

There are different sizes AND the top loops vary tremendously ( well sorta if you look closely)

Gotta watch for the top ring breaking off though, perhaps that is a smaaaaallll drawback.

Don’t you love the way the body is all one piece, mouthpiece integrated into the one pressing.??

No stampings on the body, just on the top cap.

Well, if no one wants them, then more for me 🙂 In fact they are dirt cheap this way !!!!!

Filed Under: Collecting

faux whistles sorta

October 11, 2014 by

Who is making DeCourcy whistles now ?? I dunno.

I can tell you this though, he would die all over again to see what his name is being put on. Cheap and poor imitations–in fact not even imitations !! More like putting the Goodyear name on a doughnut.

Then there are all those ‘genuine’ Auld round whistles with Britannia and other ships names that have sunk a million years ago ( OK a hundred ) and are JUST NOW SURFACING !!!! Wow !!! Museum whistles from the Titanic—

OR they could just be trying to capitalize off another quality whistle maker — but wait, they aren’t that poorly made are they??

Now I am torn…

Filed Under: Questions and Answers

whistle history

October 10, 2014 by

To find out the connection of the whistle you have — to the manufacturer, their location, their length of time manufacturing is a real pay-off. If there is a patent to match up even better. If it is previously unknown model even betterer. If, well you have the picture.

HOWEVER, the wait can be painful. Not the hunt mind you, that is almost as fun as finding the actual whistle !!!

BUT, it takes time to dig and dig and…

First you have to see what you are looking for, then get the whistles, then study them, then research them, whew, I am tired just thinking about it all…

….been on the trail of Frankfort…Colsoff….American whistle….They are all connected. Gotta admit to not being altruistic about this. None of the whistles are great in anyway…

Well, except those interlocking teeth around the barrel sides and the fact that circa 1920 there was a series of escargots with interlocking teeth–much more professionally done though. And THOSE I really want to unearth who made THEM.

Not like these smallish escargots with blunt over sized teeth….yet they are teeth and they do interlock …..ARGH !!!!! Is there a connection ??????

On the other hand there have been a couple other whistles made with the same manufacturing technique that were from other countries — made out of the USA ??

still….

Filed Under: Research

drawing the line in whistle collecting

October 9, 2014 by

OK, this is as far as I can go !!! Frankforts ( smaller ones ) — escargots of course — can’t get myself to keep them — that’s right two of ’em !!!

Why would anyone keep them you ask ?? – well first of all the question should be,  why am I tempted ?? —  It’s these tabs on the sides. You know the interlocking teeth that the famous Winchester escargots have ( see SPOTLIGHT ). GOT a couple dozen different ones of THOSE now don’t I !!!!

However these are definitely USA made and a variation of those tabs could be revealing as to the manufacturer of the Winchester type escargots 🙂

So,  am I hot on the trail or barking up the wrong tree ?? Can you feel the frustration yet ?? Argh !!! ….. Just wanted to share that with you …

Misery does love company when it comes to whistle collecting.

And add to this is the smallest detail,  that one whistle has a pillar top ( a little unusual in escargots, except for REX and perhaps Halex ) and the other has a round knop…

Should I or shouldn’t I keep them ????? They won’t take much rooooom after all. Then again EACH hook is a valuable space reserved for only the most important research whistles in the reference collection ya know ??

What to do ?? What ever to do ?????????????????????

I know, I will leave it up to you. If you say let them go,  I will, BUT,  if I don’t hear from you I will keep them ( next to their relatives. the Winchesters )

genius….

Filed Under: Collecting

whistles, how much to pay ?

October 8, 2014 by

Now there is a brave question !! How much should I pay for a whistle ??

Depends….On what you say ???

How much money do you have to spend ?? No, not how much money do you have ? … More like ‘expendable money’. — Probably in all reality NONE !!!

Then why buy ?? That’s another story entirely.

Is it cathartic ?? Or  appeasement ??

Is it compulsive or easy to pass up ??

Is it competitive or generous to others.

Guess in the end it is all about motive. What are the side affects ?? Actually what are OUR side affects ??

Perhaps what we do with our whistles, reveals more than anything our motives. When is a whistle NOT a whistle ??

When it is a symptom…….

Filed Under: Buying & Selling

hard to find whistles

October 7, 2014 by

— finding rare whistles can be difficult eh ?? Yah !! That’s for suuuure.

Why ???? Because we are sometimes looking in the wrong places. Oh, I know what you are thinking…. But Noooooo.

They might be right under your noses and you have your goals, standards ( i.e. eyes ) set too high 🙂

For example:

IMG_0530

Pretty insignificant escargot you say ?? Maybe, just depends what you have your eyes set on. What do you see when you first scan it in a pile of other whistles ??

Could be that the plating is threadbare, wearing off in flakes. BUT, no dents !!!

You might think that it is way too small for all your more manly whistles. Just a dinky little thing and you would be close to right, as far as stature. Yet is that why you are collecting whistles ?? To be manly ????? Not likely.

More likely, that you are your own person and collect for the pure joy of learning, education and it’s truly a quality hobby….

So back to the whistle. As we move on we peer at that V top. Now there is a cool top knop. Kinda revolutionary in its day — 1924 to be accurate and to agree with the patent of course.

I imagine that the real triumph is in the most insignificant thing about this whistle–the stamp. AND we aren’t stamp collectors are we ??? However it is quite noteworthy to see an EMCA ( circa 1922 ) escargot isn’t it ??

So what can we conclude ?? That we need to lower our standards, well eyes anyway and spend less, learn more and not worry about all those of ‘the best’ whistles — This one cost … ready ??? …. 8oo pennies…

Filed Under: Collecting

whistle spelunking in concaves

October 6, 2014 by

concave fipples 012

Digging for information long past on whistles is slow and difficult. Might seem that it’s simple huh ??

Take for example an area we have been pecking away at…

CONCAVE fipples in round whistles….. Yah, pretty obscure huh ?? We agree !!!!

However in several round whistles in the reference collection, the fipples are indeed concave and that might point to a different manufacturer than normally would appear on the surface. Or an identifying mark for one we did not know of.

What to do ?? Well one thing is to look for a whistle with a concave fipple and a makers stamp of course 🙂 —-  No brainer there right ?? No such thing yet either 🙁

What else ?? Perhaps a distinct manufacturing feature or even patented feature of the whistle in another part of the manufacturing of the whistle ??

In any event another feature has been unearthed ( not yet presented in a SPOTLIGHT  though ) Here we touch on it for the first time.

 

There were over 300 page loads on the website yesterday !! It is possible that enough enthusiasts can connect in such a way that we all can benefit. Posting here on the blog then becomes another way to share and learn as a group.

Now we ARE getting somewhere……….

Any ideas ?? concave fipples ???

Filed Under: Research

bell whistle new discovery

October 5, 2014 by

sorry to double dip, but can’t help but talk about the SPOTLIGHT  special edition in today’s posting !!!

WOW !!!! Do you realize what an important whistle this is ?? And the best part ?? It was an accident finding it. Just goes to show you how important it is to take chances and pick through whistle lots.

In fact there was a group sale on eBay today that would have been terrific to get, but too much going on and missed it. There was a cool one right in the middle — oh well can’t get them all !! AND there are so many surfacing everyday that there is plenty to write about.

Anyway back to the bell whistle — fantastic. Now there is an article to study well and you get it for free !!!!! What kind of follow up article will there be ?? And what might it contain ??

Will just have to wait and see…

Filed Under: Spotlight Research
« Previous Page
Next Page »