Whistory
An interesting subject came up when researching Acme (Hudson’s) 1911-1912 registered designs in escargot whistles.
Registered designs verses patents.
The 1839 Designs Registration Act provided protection for all ‘ornamental’ designs. From 1839, to apply for copyright protection you had to submit your design to the newly created Designs Registry. – from 1842 the process always involved two basic record types: representations and registers.
What is Considered for Registered Designs
(1) Representations were drawings, paintings, photographs or samples of the design, such as wallpaper or textiles, submitted at the time of registration. Representations are held for around 2,950,000 designs
(2) Registers include:
- the registered design number
- the name and address of the copyright owner, or ‘proprietor’ (usually the manufacturer or retailer rather than the designer)
- the date of registration
- sometimes a description of the design (for example ‘printed fabric’ or ‘dinner plate’)
A patent protects a device’s function, method, or method of operation. In contrast, a design protects its appearance. It is generally much less expensive to register a design than registering a patent.
In More Whistles by Gilchrist on page 18 top of the page are pictured three 1911 escargots, the Rose, the Shamrock, the Thistle with the Rd. numbers stamped on each. These designs are for England, Ireland, and Scotland respectively.
More Whistles goes on to state “ A further design for a Tudor rose was lodged but it is believed none were ever produced”
Registered Designs, 4 Whistles Identified
In this SPOTLIGHT, all four registered designs will be described, with their registered design numbers on the whistles. The fourth thought back then to not have been produced, is for 1912, the following year and is a Tudor rose design.
Additionally, a patented top (214519) was manufactured in 1924 along with the original Rd numbers, mixing the two concepts and therefore calling for some clarification.
Furthermore, is that The Acme was a registered trademark since 1886.
Applied to the Tudor Rose Escargot
For an example, model 61 ½, the 1911 Rose Rd 576579 was manufactured with a round knop and called The Acme REGd. Rose. This was re-issued in 1924 as The Acme REGd. with patent 214519 for the V top, now showing on the same whistle design. The patent number is stamped on the top above the window, the registered design number is raised letters on the side by the rose design.
So, we can see utilized on the same whistle:
1) Registered trademark of The Acme
2) Registered design of the Rose image
3) Patented V top
The 1912 Tudor Rose whistle proved to be a slightly smaller model and has only been found with a round knop and is rare.
More Whistles displays on page 18, a hump type knop circa 1940 with the thistle pattern.
Whistle Classification
| Category | London escargot |
| Order | Hudson |
| Type | general use |
| Class | plated brass |
| Sub class | Acme registered designs/patents |
Whistle Archeology
The Acme name registered 1886
The Acme Registered design 576579 Rose
The Acme Registered design 578510 Shamrock
The Acme Registered design 577844 Thistle
The Acme Registered design 608282-12 (tudor rose)
The Acme Patent 214519 (V-top) with
Whistology
Registered Designs, 1911
First all three 1911 registered designs.
These are the 1911 registered designs showing typical round knops. Later models would have the V tops without the pattern design stamp such as Rose.
Registered Designs, 1912
In 1912 the fourth and more obscure registered design of a Tudor Rose.
Some comparisons
The round knop and the V top, same registered design, different patents.
Conclusions
A lightweight escargot with pattern variability. Four distinct registered designs. 3 of the 1911 Reg’d escargots all of one size, 1 for 1912 of a smaller model size.
This updates More Whistles by Gilchrist.
TWG
Posted April 5, 2023
Bibliography:
The Whistle Gallery Reference Collection
More Whistles, Gilchrist
Whistles, Gilchrist
Collecting Police Whistles and Similar Types, Gilchrist and Topman
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/registered-designs-1839-1991/
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