website whistle update

March 31, 2013 by

end of the month !!! Know what that means ?? YUP, time for a new SPOTLIGHT — what will it be ??? AND beyond that perhaps another SPECIAL EDITION ???

You know, the one that focuses on single known whistles ?? Really, my favorite to do, as it looks closely at just one whistle. Easier to work up and more exciting to see a whistle that so little known about, —  even if it is our own 🙂

If we can keep the pace, perhaps even another bonus SPOTLIGHT……….  sometime during the month.

Seems like there is so much to study and write about and so little time–probably always the case. 

One more day….

Filed Under: Website

whistle patents

March 30, 2013 by

PATENT  is stamped on your whistle, so what does it mean. Well, beyond patent I mean of course…

To begin with it refers to something done to the whistle that the manufacturer is stating for everyone to take note of and that they filed for that patent. Nobody else should be using that technique — whatever it is !!

So lets say that a manufacturer makes a different kind of top ring and then patents it — so what ??

BIG what for us whistle geeks !!! Why so, you ask ?? Well, since you asked….

dating 🙂 Yup, you can now date that whistle very aptly. It may take a little extra effort to address what the patent applies to,   but after a little practice you will deduce it. Then you add in the length of the patent according to the time frame you are in and voila !! A window of production !!!!

Let's try it right now….. that'll help right ??

Say you find a metropolitan GSW ) general service whistle ( — they look just like police ones, but don't say the police force on them ) and on it you see it says PATENT…. For what you stop and think… then you look at the address, hmmmmm it says 13 Barr street. Now you say to yourself that Hudson was at that address from 1889 to 1908 give or take some months. The only patents issued to them during that period was a diaphragm patent — 1898 and a two piece top cap 1908. Then you notice that the top is one piece cast.

There you have it. The patent applies to the 1898 diaphragm and they were at that address for 10 more years so you have dated your UK whistle from 1898 to 1908 or within ten years. Pretty cool huh ?? 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

whistle values

March 28, 2013 by

I was wondering if you could tell me how much my whistle is worth ??

Wow, what a landmine this is !!! Why ??Is it  because one never knows the motivation behind it. What might this be ??

1) I just want to sell it and get rich
2) I have had it for 30 years and and hoping it is not only cherished but secretly worth a fortune.
3) It wa given to me by a close friend, relative, celebrity… and I hope they spent a lot on it and it is very valuable.
4) It belonged to my great grandfather who was a guard and perhaps it is an expensive antique now like on the antique roadshow.
5) I don't knopw a thjing about whistles, is it rare ( i.e. priceless )
6) Never seen another like it ( well hardly ever looked and even if I did they aren't very common ) undoubtably worth a mint.

yup, in the end almost aaaaaaalways money….

Here is for those of you who honestly care about your whistle….it isn't about money, BUT—

It may be rare. It may be valuable, or not. It may be unique or common — but what is attached may be priceless.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

whistle patents and registered designs

March 27, 2013 by

HELP !!!!

Yeah, we could use some help….. With what ?? Patents and registered designs from France and Germany.

See,  the reason is that it is hard to search these out here from the states, try as we may, keep hitting roadblocks. Talked recently to a collector in the states who has 1500 patents ( of another thing other  than whistles — I know what you are thinking….what else is there ?? )

He said that much of his help came from collectors in Europe. BOY that would open up doors wouldn't it ?? AND then they could be shaaaaaaared !!!

Right now we are in the process of organizing all the USA and UK ones we can get,  into some sort of accessable filing system.

However it would be soooo much better to include those two countries !!!!!!

Filed Under: Website

whistle stuff

March 26, 2013 by

Been getting more and more enquiries on whistles. Just to make a note, we have been contacted about rare whistles and not so rare ones. Even a collection of electronic testers !! Wooden whistles, slide whistles police, military, mining, silver….

Interesingly enough we are seeing whistles not seen before also. THAT is what we hoped for !!! The next step is to bring them to you, our readers. We all know they are just sitting around in those cabinets and drawers huh ??

We are all set up now for you to write in and include some pictures. BUT…please remember that the pictures need to be clear and close up !!! AND from different angles if possible. That way we don't have to write back and ask for moooooooore !!!!

You can do it !!! Recently we spent some time blogging somne suggestions for taking pictures — even with your phones 🙂  —- Hope this helps us all.

Keep sending them in !!!!

Filed Under: Website

whistle restoration

March 24, 2013 by

restoration ruins a whistle ….true or false ??

BOTH !!!

Depends on the whistle doesn't it ??

If the whistle is no good unless restored ( i.e. banged up, stained, just plain ugly ) then restoration is a no brainer huh ??

On the other hand patina is hard to come by 🙂 And if that is all your talking about then perhaps put it off.

Personally I love nickle silver polished up and all, whereas brass and copper I prefer aged. Steel I really love when it has that darkened appearance.

Keep in mind that taking a whistle apart is risky business what with heat tolerances of the entire whistle. Unless you have a jeweler do it ?? That solder can be hard to work with.

AND heat travels into the whistle body and then all of a sudden the whole thing melts…well the solder anyway !!!

Then there is that buffing thing….buff, buff, buff…..oops no more metal !!!!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

talking about whistles

March 24, 2013 by

continuing with camera talk with whistles is of course the inevitable…your own home set up ….

Perhaps a table that can be left alone ??

All one needs is a couple of table lamps. Better yet a couple short tripods with open lights.

BETTER yet — day color lamps ( perhaps florescent ? )

BEST — cloth diffuser wraped over the lamp holders — of course they have to be fire safe !!!!!

Now what ?? a PATCH cord to your computer, or even take the card out of your camera and plug into the computer to upload and file.

Now you really need to practice as with the cell phone !!

LIGHT
DARK
MIXED COLORS
MIXED TEXTURES

you know the drills 🙂

Filed Under: Collecting

For Sale Updated and a New Feature

March 23, 2013 by

Okay trying this again!

Plugin/widget issue fixed… because we just deleted it and did our own thing!
Always trying to simplify things, my "web master" is trying a different approach. Hope you like it!

Check out the change — FOR SALE LINK HERE

 

ALSO A NEW FEATURE >>>
When contacting us by our Contact Us page, you can now upload up to three photos with your questions !!
Since our usual response is "please send photos" – thought we could make things easier for you !!!!

Filed Under: Website

whistle pictures again !!!

March 23, 2013 by

last, last, ( well you are right, probably more to talk about ) thing on pictures

Photoshop has become the word on digitally re-mastering your own whistles.

YES, you can make your whistle look better than it is !!!

Not a problem — UNLESS you want to sell it from that re-touched picture !!!

Of course that would be dishonest.

However, it is totally fair to clean up the background huh ?? We do it all the time, but JUST the lint….

Pesky lint pieces that cling to the cloth ….

We hatses lint tooooo……

Filed Under: Collecting

pictures of whistles

March 22, 2013 by

lastly , one should consider ( in our running discussions of whistle pictures )

Backgrounds…

We like to use and hope we have created a signature of blue background on all of our pictures.

However there is a drawback and that is that whistles that are shiny reflect that color !!! Something we choose to live with, to set our pix apart.

The best seems to be an off-white for generic pictures.

However you can get innovative !!

Try this >>>>> elevate your whistle onto a sheet of glass and support it so that you can't see the supports by spreading them out. Now you can take close ups which affects the depth of field and makes your whistle seem to float !!!

Two or more sources of light really help knock out those pesky shadows, so you will really want to work with this from whatever location you have…

we hateses shaaaaadows…..

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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