026 Variety Whistles

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Whistory

While limiting ourselves to metal whistles, it is truly remarkable the variety that can be found. We constantly hear with astonishment “who knew there were so many kinds of whistles”.

How Have Things Progressed Over The Years For Whistles?

Originally in 2012 this article focused on a certain year of whistles discovered at TWG.  Accordingly, with this revision of 2025, it seems good to expand the variety that has grown since then.  

This serves hopefully as a stimulus to those searching, studying and collecting. The revision in 2020, 8 years later, saw even more variety. Now it has been another 5 years of research. To this day, newly discovered whistles continue to surface. 

Is There A Theme For This Spotlight On Whistles?

Sometimes a cross section of whistles can be more fun than a closed view. In other words, we will look at a panoramic view of rare whistles rather than a closed study.  

Here was a SPOTLIGHT of a fraction of what one can expect to find in one particular year of diligent search. Variety is the name of the game, but many search for series of whistle stamps. Is there variety still to be found? Are all the good whistles taken? Are there ones undiscovered?  — this was asked in 2012, again in 2020 and now in 2026.

As thought when we first started, more collectors, although increasing competition would also cause more whistles to come to light. 

Whistle Classification

Type	various (see below)
Maker	various
Category	various
Material	brass nickel silver wood
Features	various

Whistle Archeology

See the following SPOTLIGHT articles:

• 7 – Alfred DeCourcy Part 1
• 14 – 6-Tube Porteous Wind Instrument, Registered 1845
• 21- Early Hudson Tubular
• 22 – Decourcy Reassignment
• 82 – Cycling Whistles
• 94 – F. L. Johnson & Co.
• 120 – Railway Whistles
• 144 – R.A. Walton Conical Whistle
• 145 – John Linegar Conical
• 148 – Henry Keat

Whistology

A group picture revision from the 2012 posting, added 2020 –  

• 1868 registered Yates carriage key, nickel silver 
• Dowler GSW nickel silver 
• 3 Hudson GSWs (never sold to the public)  
• Moffat’s patent ‘bird killer’ extractor 
• 1845 Registered deign Wind Instrument 
• Yates flat dual nickel silver 

The first up is quite rare and is a double ended Yates dating to circa 1880. All brass and distinctive among combination whistles with its half round window on the civil whistle. 

Next is a Shand Mason stamped beaufort/round combination by Hudson. Any time you see Shand Mason it is for fire brigade suppliers. So of course, they are sought after, but as you see here, they can be found. Pure nickel silver, it dates to circa 1885 – 90. It has a wedge disc rather than the 435 flat patented disc of 1885 

Following this is a high-quality Yates carriage key. It is dated circa 1868 with the registered design date on it. All nickel silver with a matching high-quality handle.  

Now we look at a hunting gadget combination, it has a cigar nipper, and bird killer added to the extractor and whistle. Moffat’s patent for 1885 dates it to the late 19^th century.  

Following this is a Yates pure nickel silver dual chamber, heavily constructed whistle with accompanying chain and hook. Excellent workmanship and dated to 1870-80. 

As of 2012 Ward manufactured a duplex heavy walled whistle stamped SPEEDWELL.  

Finding heavy walled duplex whistles is always a challenge, but to find a Ward is even harder. However, the point being that they are out there is to be found.  

Again, this would date to the late 19^th century, it is high quality, and it was in a period of heavy walled duplexes that only lasted about 15 years before lighter weight whistles took over due to the savings in labor and materials.  

For our revision some added whistles. Each year more comes to light. Here we will also present some whistles that have been found other than at TWG to show that the more collectors there are, the more to be found. 

2024 Henry Keat whistle monotypical (only one known) was found at a public antique market. 
          Adrian Leach collection 

2024 Walton angled mouthpiece conical, monotypical found on eBay. 
          Jim Fitch collection  

2023 Modele pipe whistle patented France, found on eBay 
          TWG reference collection 

—–   Several cycling whistles designed by F.L. Johnson 
          Jim Fitch collection 

2025 Alfred De Courcy 1890 registered design, found on eBay 
          Jim Fitch collection 

2025 Alfrede De Courcy 1915 government railway, found on eBay 
          Chris Mattison collection 

2025 De Courcy pre 1900 beaufort/conical with cast mouthpiece found on eBay 
          Dan Wood collection 

—— Hudson c.1885 escargots (one cycling, one civil)  
          Jim Guttridge collection 

—- 3 railway whistles c1885-90 Hudson, Yates, De Courcy 
       Pete Owen collection 

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Conclusions

This updates an array of whistles from 2012 to 2026. Along with the variety being found is the whistle archeology being unearthed.  

Presently Hudson (AKA Acme) is doing a deep dive into their extensive archives, hopefully leading to further insights into the large group of Birmingham and other manufacturers dating back prior to 1900. 

The intent of this article is to stimulate further research, by physically searching and by digging up backgrounds.  Special thanks to the collectors that contributed their pictures for this posting. 

TWG

Posted November 2, 2013
Revised September 14, 2020
Revised October 11, 2020
Revised February 16, 2021
Revised December 31, 2021
Revised June 19, 2022
Revised December 3, 2025
Revised July 16, 2026

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Bibliography:

• TWG Reference Collection
• The Whistle Gallery Archives

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