- Tracking the history of whistles or a particular whistle is really like being a detective
mentioning it to a friend, upon his request I pulled out what I had in my archive regarding this whistle. (A. Strauss)
Photo was taken from this website The Nick Harris School
In 1906, Nicholas B. Harris, ( 1882-1943) an investigative reporter turned police detective founded Nick Harris Detectives. A year later the Nick Harris Academy opened bearing his name. Credited for solving many of the most baffling criminal cases at the turn-of-the-century, Mr. Harris, a legend in his own time was known for many peculiarities . “Official Police Whistle” marked Nick Harris on one side and official police whistle on the other. This would have been related to the Nick Harris radio show back in 1930-1940s, based on a real life character who was first a reporter, then a police officer, then a private investigator. In fact he founded a detective school in 1906 that is still operating .
Nick Harris Stamp on a Two Notes Tube Whistle with windows at different heights.
Made of Cast Base Metal, with plating.
I received these papers from a nice person from whom we purchased the whistle
many years back (I still have his envelope but no name of sender) .
As new discoveries of important whistles and catalogs keep coming
I find very little time to find out more information about the maker and date,
but I am sure more will be known with time as to this whistle,
It seems to be 1920s and either American or German made. Brings to mind an English J. Barrall whistle made few decades earlier.
This City Police whistle made by J. Barral, Birmingham, Is the first one found by him with windows in different heights, Made after T. Yate design & idea, An early whistle with windows at different heights made 1870s possibly early 1880s, after T. Yates.
I should expand and write more on Barrall and his whistles soon, I keep discovering new ones made by him.
All rights reserved to author, A. Strauss
Thank you very much for the information on the Nick Harris Whistle. Your research is phenomenal.