A.Strauss
Henri Kratz-Boussac ( K.B) created the company “Les inventions nouvelles” in 1883. In his catalogue in 1900 are many optical toys (sciopticons, kaleidoscopes etc).
He build a factory for toys in Douville-sur-Andelle in Normandy in 1905. He was also famous for his gun-toys and children cars. As you can see, except for a very few specialised makers, the whistles in France were mostly produced by toys makers or music instruments makers.
American Whistles.
When I discovered the 1rst Bean Police whistle it was great new,
Called by fellow collectors, The ‘Holy Grail’ of American whistle,
It was the first two note Tube type whistle, found, to predate Hudson & Co. of England, and Before I discovered the first two notes tube whistles by Stevens & Sons Model No. 27 from the 1860s .
The original patent was ‘Billy’s Club’ which made it hard to find.
It did not have the tittle call (The term used in the 19th century for professional whistles.
It did ignite the search for more & more variations which showed, still a rare whistle just about a dozen or two in collections,
I found it in Patent search and then in a Pettibone Brothers Chicago Catalog of 1901 along few other earlier catalogs, still the Pettibone Brothers showed a Model number 26 which I was not being able to find .
When a Friend asked me what it is, lately & enclosed the photos, I was glad to see Model Number 426 and that I have the answer.
Took many years to have a clear view of one, It is the 2nd I had seen,
the 2nd top right show the stamp Patent applied for.
It is certainly an unusual design and has two sound chambers.
Pettibone Brothers Catalog page
There were previous other earlier catalogs with model 424 (J.P. Moore and John Lovell But none with 426
A. Strauss
Underconstruction
Merryweather & Sons established 1692 and Shand Mason & Co. were two of the larger retailers of Fire Brigade accoutrements, whistles were just one of the products they retailed, they manufactured others, but our interest is in whistles.
I will bring some of their whistle pages from19th century catalogues.,
and share two very rare whistles identified by using the catalogs.
When I started writing I found many more Fire Brigade whistles
from these catalogues and I share some of mine and some from archive.
Staffordshire Constabulary Button Top Conical whistle type (TNC-Nick Named Beaufort)
(Under construction)
It is important to categorize and define accurate names for whistle types,
Mostly for more common ones, but when it comes to very rare ones it may be of less importance. (The type were previously referred to as Crest top).
The next few observations are about whistles that very few collectors own and lucky are the ones that have one, let alone few. Still they are gems to look at and study.
This newly found one which is very different from all others I had seen
turned my attention to these again*,
The whistle has few unusual features seen only with this one,
It has a great sound with about a whole step apart between the two notes,
Pitch is A & a slightly Flatt B) It measures 60.82 mm in length, the windows are larger then usual, so is the body, and the top bubble has a groove (AKA Crimp ring)
and it is a heavy cast one, As far as I can tell it was made by Dowler
(albeit that top may hint at a work by A. DeCourcy) .
Photo was taken from this website The Nick Harris School
A whistle a day
Large Extra HEAVY solid silver whistle , continental silver hallmark.
Length: 93 mm with masonic symbol. Probably German or French.
Octagonal tapered design, upper side is solid.
Probasbly of French oor Ge3rman origin, c 1880s t0 1910s .
It is all smooth, was clean when I got but it was blackened during the time I have it.
FREEMASONRY
I tthe links you may see the History of Freemasonry in France
FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE
German Signal Instruments Manufacturer. A. Strauss
Trillerpfeifen, Early Escargot- Referee- Snail whistle with Long beak, & Tear drop shaped sound chamber, Late 19th Century, Early 20th Century.
Forward
When it comes to whistles, two major players, The British and the German whistle manufacturers went through important changes during the 19th century Industrial revolution, with new designs and means of manufacturing, I can Clearly see the reciprocal inspiration and parallel developments.
The Pfretzschner’s family (Musical Instruments makers) history goes back hundreds of years and the Brass instruments making started in 1750 in Markneuekirchen and area, The Firm itself was established in 1834 .
I visited there twice for research during the two last two decades,
It is enough to mention that in the 1870s about 70% of the world’s musical Instruments from China to America were produced there, to start and imagine the wealth of material, which is endless and an mine of info which can be studied there, when it comes to manufacturing Instruments including whistles of all types.
The Markneuekirchen Musical Instrument Museum Founded in the 19th Century is Highly recommended.
Ridge under beak for under strengthening.
The 4 Different variations left to right, are made differently.
Left is the latest with a single Ball top (Knop), and Nickel or Chrom plating,
The sound chamber is more rounded.
the 2nd seems to be iron, albeit it is a none magnetic hard metal,
The third is nickel plated brass with small loop ring.
The 4th is of the best quality German Silver ( AKA alpaca or Nickel Silver)
It is slightly larger and made with outmost care to details as well as having a larger
Sound Chamber & Beak. All are app. 80 mm long.
J. Hudson & Co. Joseph Hudson Patent number 435 of 1885,
Photo of a Two Notes Tube Whistle – TNTW, Known to collectors as General service whistle, or Bobby whistle; Here taken apart for a clear view of the 5 various parts.
The Body, Mouthpiece and top loop ring, and the internal parts being the Partition,
and the stamped Diaphragm disc.
The patent was registered on January 13 of 1885, and designed somewhere in 1884
Patent Description:
Whistles, police and similar. The internal sheet-metal disc or diaphragm A crossing the barrel B is furnished with strengthening – fangs C which lie along the sides of the barrel, and is secured by soldering.
The patent for the diaphragm with the two tines-strengthening – fangs, came to solve the problem of weak diaphragm-disc in previous Hudson model (and other makers
as well which solved the problem in various ways), supplied to the Metropolitan Police in 1884, the previous diaphragm was loose and many came back to the factory to be fixed and refurbished, (whistle had to be taken apart in order to do so)
The Patent was valid for 14 years at that period, and the diaphragms using that patent were stamped, 1885 -1899, (Needs to be verified). *
The address stamp on this whistle 13 Barr Street Birmingham. is post 1894 -5 (Considered by many to be solely post 1888).
The whistle and drawing came from the great whistle scholar Martyn Gilchrist and he used it for the research of his book along with Simon Topmann:
Collecting Police Whistles and Similar Types. (1998) wow, that 25 years… The book was the ‘bible’ for Police whistle collectors for many years,
Chapter 8: Identifying Manufacturers & Dating Whistles Page 88 remains,
to this day, the best article available on whistle parts proving what a genius pioneering work was done by the writers.
The book and article are a must for whistle collectors, and those who wish to
know more about whistles of this type.
(Foot note)
*There is a lot more to write to discuss & learn, I will keep it short albeit it brings to mind many questions and some will remain unanswered since the further you dig the more the questions regarding the pre patent years, especially when one reads the great details on pages 6-12 in the book mentioned, regarding the “Metropolitan” police whistle, (Name registered as trademark in early 1884 ), showing it was on the 2nd of January that the order or of 7000 whistles was placed, more whistles supplied in April 1884 and numbering the whistles started July 1884.
P. S a suggestion when reading other posts here one should enlarge the screen for full view, then the side menu is not seen and and photos and texts are clearer.
Avner Strauss
Late 19th Century & Early 20th Century whistles by J. Hudson & Co. – Acme Whistles Ltd. Birmingham Archive Photoss. Unknown photographer.
A Variety of whistles by J.Hudson & Co. as seen in 1909 catalogue,
at their 1– 13 Barr St. Birmingham Address.
To Be cont.
By A. Strauss
Dating G.P.O Whistles.
The History of the General Post Office in Great Britain is well documented,
I shall concentrate on British Whistles used with the GPO and bring NEWS and New information and findings as to whistle’s dates and makers, previously not published,
(It is underconstruction, and an on going research ! )
I shall start with late Victorian times first, then mid Victorian.
and continue to Post Victorian and up to WWII and later up to the 1980s when they stopped the use of whistles.
VICTORIAN PERIOD G.P.O WHISTLES.
As of writing only 2 Known Hudson & Co. GPO whistles are known ,
and as a rulle of thumb G.P.O Numbered whistles are rare;
1 Digit one known 2 Digits 1 known pre 1895 and one 2 Digits from 1902 Order
3 digits (a later 1914 series) very few known.
All these are very rare, and I am sure more may surface in the future,
Hopefully of other London Districts.
Others are 4 did its numbered in the series of 1000, 2000, 4000.
Ordered in 1915 supplied 191are all scarce.
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We know that as early as 1891 Two note tube whistles by Osborne & Son
(Made by Bent & Parker) were marketed in advertisements to Rural Postman & Mail Cart Drivers;
Next we see 1888-1901 whistles,
The Metropolitan stamp Patent and J. Hudson & Co.
stamps are curved – arched.
The address has a DOT after 13 so 13. Barr St.
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