WHISTORY:
Manufacturer—
Pettibone Brothers Manufacturing Company is still in existence today. They come into existence sometime after the civil war in the USA ( 1865 ) circa 1872 ?? Very little is found on the net but here and there can be pieced together. However it is clear that they were a uniform and regalia manufacturer. Plenty can be found on sword sites dating back before 1900. Tapestries dating to 1887 copyrights exist.
The site RFD: marketing to a rural audience states:
James and William Pettibone operated the Pettibone Brothers Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. The brothers produced military and band uniforms, as well as uniforms for letter carriers and a variety of regalia items ( swords, buttons etc. ) William Pettibone appears to disappear from the company’s information in the early 20th century. James Pettibone held patents for a suitcase ( patent # 838,353 issued December 11, 1906 ) and handcuffs ( patent # 263, 212, issued August 22, 1882 ) and listed himself as a “dressmaker” in the 1900 census.
We also read at De Luikerwaal:
The Pettibone Manufacturing Company was settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. The founder James Pettibone took over John Boner's military goods store where he worked as a clerk, in 1872. Around the end of that century the Pettibone Company was described as 'the large establishment in which all kinds of paraphernalia for lodges, societies, schools, etc. are manufactured, and in which four hundred and fifty people are constantly employed'. They produced among other things two versions of the attractive 'New Improved Sciopticon with Revolving Disc'.
The Circular 313 shows the building and a very ornate cover
The house of J Pettibone as follows:
168 Divinity Street. He was born in Barkhamstead in 1835, came to Bristol in 1876, after his wife died. His second wife was Anna E. Norton a teacher in Plymouth, Thomaston and Bristol. Pettibone was a foreman at Bristol Manufacturing Company. He was a descendant of John Pettibone, one of the original settlers of Simsbury, and Col. Jonathan Pettibone, who served in the revolutionary war.
( Picture unattributed )
In the c.1902 Pettibone ‘circulate’ we spot several whistles
The first is a duplex ( no picture )
The second looks to be a BGI horn whistle in Bridgeport
The third a F.L. Johnson patent manufactured by F.J. Hall in Wallingford
The fourth an E.D. Bean possibly manuf. by Union Hardware
The fifth is curious identified as the Unique
All are complete with chains and button hooks. The duplex is not shown or is on a missing page. The prices range from 25 cents to a dollar ( Bean’s were always a little higher )
From hunting ( horn ) to cycling ( Johnson) and even police ( Bean) issue, perhaps conductor calls for the duplex.
What category the Unique fell into is unknown. However it had some interesting attributes.
We have cut and pasted for convenience the advertisement as follows:
The whistle dimensions are 2 and ½ inch by ¾ inch. It is flat and 3/8 inch thick. It came with and without a stop hole. The sound is clean and high pitched.
This is a rather obscure whistle in US history. We have seen no other, but would expect more to be found. It seems to be less ‘user friendly’ and perhaps that added to its demise.
There is only one size known at this point and made of brass with a steel backing. It also has a steel link chain predominantly issued in the USA.
When you flip it over there appears to be a clip missing, perhaps for adhering to a uniform ??
Interesting top hole for the chain
Here you can see the shallow construction.
And mouth opening
We look forward to more on this one.
– TWG
Posted April 5, 2019
Bibliography:
RFD: Marketing to a Rural Audience
eBay
Pinterest
American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities
De Luikerwaal
