Police & Fire, General service whistles, 2 note cylindrical whistles, two notes tube whistles, GSWs, Bobbie whistle
Police or Fire whistles, The City whistle, The City Police. (To be cont.) A Strauss Copyright © 2009
Preface : This article was written about 8 years ago and was published 2009 in the older whistle museum website. I bring it as is albeit I have learned many things and meanwhile discovered more whistles and gained some more knowledge although it may have some mistakes I leave it as is I would try and find time to edit meanwhile I bring it as it is, but I shall add a note that the number 13 referred to patent class, at the time I did not know that .
It is my observation today that these stamps and whistles are a huge subject since it was an important outlet for many makers, for two reasons:
1) The minimum order at the time was the quantity of 144 (Twelve dozens ) whistles, making a particular stamp was expensive and so these whistles were in use with many smaller forces and rural police , Fire brigades etc that did not or could not order that minimum in a particular time point.
2) Hudson did have a very large part of the market with the Metropolitan Whistle type and ” The answer to the Metropolitan ” was the City Police Police Or Fire etc, stamps which gave smaller companies a break thru to many smaller forces, local suppliers and individuals.
You are welcome to ask questions or send to my email : info@avnerstrauss.com
or join the antique whistle group in facebook , It proved very helpful in sharing and learning about whistles .
Best wishes Aver Strauss
Police & Fire, General service whistles, 2 note cylindrical whistles, Two notes tube whistles – ( TNT or TNTW) , GSWs, Bobbie whistle
Police or Fire whistles, The City whistle, The City Police. (To be cont.)
A Strauss Copyright © 2009
These whistles are a favorite subject of mine, a subject usually over looked by whistle collectors & little researched, there are few hundred variations made by many British makers (Yates, Ward, Hudson, Walton, DeCourcy , Barrall ) and by German, American, Chinese & Indian makers, as well as stamps by Numerous RETAILERS & Companies, many yet to be discovered .
All these whistles belong to the professional type whistles referred to as General service whistles, GSW’s, [ we all should be in debt to Martin Gilchrist who was a pioneer and mentor in the research of GSW’s – General Service Whistles , a term he coined and his marvelous books about whistles ] 2 note cylindrical whistles, Two notes tube whistles, Bobbie whistle.
All these whistles have two main stamp variations;
A) Stamps with the words “Police or Fire” or “Fire & Police”
B ) Stamps with the word “City” included (“The City police ” or “The City Police or Fire” etc.) *
Many times a maker can be identified by the wording / name of whistle
and by the stamp design and number of lines, I had made a list of these body stamps and still work on it.
The evolution of the stamps follows somewhat a chronological order , The city, The City Police , The city Police or Fire, City police or fire whistle.
There are hundreds of stamp variations and since these were made over a relatively long period they can serve whistle enthusiasts well for a comparative study & research.
Another aspect is that most do not carry the makers name and it is a challenge to identify the maker which at times needs research, comparing and observing, using small details to identify the maker. NMM is short here for no maker mark.
Some stamps can serve well to Identify the maker.
Since it is a new subject and has many aspects I will slowly update it, these whistles were all made from the late 1880s to 1930s , and used for various purposes notably with many factories mainly textile and arms Companies & Laboratories, were dangers of fire hazards were crucial & by local police and security forces all over the old world.
H A Ward , “The Standart Police or Fire Whistle”, two stamp variations, one with maker’s name, one without.
2 Lines Stamp & 4 Lines Stamp. made 1889 to early 1900. Nickel Plated Brass 88mm. superior sound and quality, Ward’s top model.
Continue reading Police Or Fire Two Notes Tube (TNT) Whistles P.O.F whistles
Above B. Lilly and Sons whistle which seems to be made by Henry Arthur Ward,