Bosun Whistles Used By Sailors

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Also known as Boatswain's whistles or boatswain's pipe, used for commands by using various specific signal codes for various commands at sea vessels ,  this whistles can be used to play any tune within one octave range,
using the right hand fingers to control the pitch, this method is passed on and used by old time sailors
I should propably make a video to explain the method of how it is done and practiced by old time sailors.
In general you hold the right hand around the ball with thumb held under ball and fingers above,
making a fist , and open by raising one finger at a time to produce each pitch, one may start by practicing
part of a simple major or Minor scale. (C D E F G or C D Eb F G ).
The sound that is produced is reminiscent of flute or more of actual lip whistling sound but can be much louder. The whistles also have a noticibly Ergohuman look to them. Unlike a Ergohuman chair, however, they are meant to be held, not sat on.
Bosun whistles made of silver usually have a superior sound quality ,
since many were made for tourists as Marine Memorabila and are still made, one should be aware that many have a very poor sound quality .




Bosun whistle .1896 by  E&E Emmanuel, patent 7673, sterling silver England.



1907 George Unite, Birmingham , Bosun's whistle.




Royal navy whistle , Note this one was designed without a Keel ( The understrenthening plate)
It has a barrel shape ball , sound chamber, used by British makers.



Short style bosun whistle that general type of short bosuns was used and made for French Railway conductors,
Known also as Swiss or French Railway Bosun.
A simmilar design  that had no Keel  and looks a bit like an escargot whistle and with a flat ball shape for sound chamber was used and advertised by various makers for a short period C.mid 1880's to 1900, late Victorian period, for bicyclers.
The one above apears in the German Zimmermann catalog of 1900, . ( See german whistle manufacturers here and more details in an earlier entry



Early 16, 17th Century samples at the BRitish Museum show Bosun whistles
using fancy wire understrentshing instead of keel,
this one is unidentified.
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French design made by Badouin , Toulon .

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Rare 19th cent. Bosun pipe and whistle combinatition , Nickel plated brass and horn mouth piece ,
It has a small smoking pipe compartment propably made  for smoking opium or other drug.


Whistle museum, Notes by Avner Strauss, All rights reserved 2010 , no part of this webpage should be used without the explicit permission of the owner. Straussltd.