silver whistles

Many ask why we don’t collect or do more with silver whistles,

Simple answer, they coast too much !!!! AND it is so easy to steer away from whistle designs and uses that are far more interesting for us at TWG.

Not to take away from all those craftsman dating with their hallmarks back for hundreds of years. But many times the whistles are too delicate. They are more like art or jewelry or …

Are brass, nickel silver, steel, superior metals. Yes and no. They take a beating, they are certainly not as delicate. Perhaps there is more variability and that is where the key lies.

Just compare a very early large brass  round whistle. Ever wonder why you don’t see them in silver ?? or GOLD for that matter ?? The metal overshadows the item.

OR what about extractor whistles ?? RARE to see one made of silver huh ?? Why ?? The teeth would break off in use. Then there are scout whistle never made in silver–too costly and delicate.

Oh, no button whistles either ( or very rarely )

Need to go on ?? What’s the point ?? The most fun, down to earth whistles are in the lower end of valuable metals — due to tougher metals used and it’s more about the whistle use, history, design…

Think of all the whistles that would NOT have been made if silver was the preference or gold for that matter.

Then again, boson whistles are all silver the further you go back…..ratz….if only this blog was written in the 1600s, think of all the variety we would see !!!