018 The “Noisy” Escargot (Special Edition)

Whistory

The “Noisy” is an unusual 4-piece escargot whistle made up of the knop, two sides (round like independent coins) and one large piece which is made from the barrel and mouthpiece overlay. So rather than the top of the mouthpiece being separately attached – it is a fold over. This appears to be a DeCourcy patented design of 1905. Perhaps it was adapted, but in several ways, it varies from his accepted work.  

How Many Pieces are There for the “Noisy” Escargot Whistle?

Typically, escargots are 6-piece, 5-piece and 3-piece. These four pieces require a fold over of the mouthpiece, that DeCourcy pioneered.  

How Early On was DeCourcy Making Escargot Whistles?

Tracking Alfred DeCourcy in the period from his leaving Hudson in 1888 to the startup of his Police Whistle Works (also ‘Thunderer’ Whistle Works) company with his brother in 1905 is sketchy. It appears that he was making four- and five-piece light weight escargots of the London type at Mary Street for over a decade. He is listed as a whistle maker during this time.  

Whistle Classification

Type4-piece escargot
MakerAlfred DeCourcy
Categorycivil
Materialbrass
Features4-piece

Whistle Archeology

For study purposes, we focus on the 1905 patent by Alfred DeCourcy, how much earlier he was making escargots is still needing more research. 

Improvements in Railway and other Whistles and in the Manufacture of same.

Page bookmarkGB190526019 (A) – Improvements in Railway and other Whistles and in the Manufacture of same.
Inventor(s):COURCY ALFRED DE + (ALFRED DE COURCY)
Applicant(s):COURCY ALFRED DE + (ALFRED DE COURCY)
Classification:– international: – cooperative:
Application number:GBD190526019 19051214
Priority number(s):GBT190526019 19051214

Abstract of GB190526019 (A)

1905 Alfred DeCourcy patent diagram showing four-piece escargot whistle construction and folded-over mouthpiece
26,019. Courcy, A. de. Dec. 14. Making whistles. -A whistle is formed from four stamped pieces of metal. One piece A is first bent into the shape shown in Fig. 3, with a strengthening-strut a<3>, which may if necessary be absent, two side pieces B, Fig. 9, are then attached, and the pieces b<2> are folded over, forming with the piece C the top of the whistle.

Whistology

The mouthpiece upper tooth-grip is visibly different than commonly seen. 

Front view of

Note the sides and the attachment points of the mouthpiece which are openly independent rather than singular to one side as in the patent diagram…. 

Close-up of escargot whistle mouthpiece fold-over point highlighting the rolled edge and forming seamClose-up of escargot whistle mouthpiece attachment edge showing independent side disc join and metalwork detail

Note the picture on the left shows the fold over point and the right picture shows the actual attachment edge. This looks to be DeCourcy’s work.  

The cast knop is very smooth and does not match any of his work. 

Detail of smooth cast knop on

Note the Tooth Grip and Window of The “Noisy” Escargot

Of particular interest is the front tooth grip. It looks like a filed down edge but it is not. It is unlike anything Alfred produced – even just after he left Hudson’s. The engraved words “The Noisy” with quotation marks is uncharacteristic for him. In fact, it is unusual for a UK whistle altogether. 

 It is more reminiscent of whistles from India from the 1940s. However, at that time India was still filing down the tooth-grips. No other escargots to date display this tooth-grip. At this time three other “Noisy” whistles have been recorded, so it was indeed a production whistle. 

Close-up of

Now drop back to the first picture and you will see that the window is unusually large. 

Conclusions:

A folded over escargot mouth design that on the surface matches the 1905 DeCourcy patent. However, there are significant differences in the tooth grip, the knop and especially that the sides are independent discs, additionally the extra-large window and no under-strengthening.

TWG

Posted July 24, 2013
Revised September 6, 2020
Revised October 11, 2020
Revised February 12, 2021
Revised December 30, 2021
Revised February 19, 2022
Revised February 23, 2025
Revised December 2, 2025
Revised June 10, 2026

Bibliography:

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