Check out this old whistle on e-bay. Anyone recognize it? I’ve never seen one with a mark like that.
http://cgi.netscape.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1726006612
I like the description:
“…THE SIX HOLES ARE VARIOUS SIZES.”
If you view the sellers other auctions you’ll see a ‘fife’ with a similar description, along with some vintage toys. I would guess these came from an estate sale.
Hey how about this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=863097167
For an “irish tin whistle and two vintage flutes”! 
In the second link, it looked like two soprano recorders and a pennywhistle. I wonder how tin whistles get identified as “fifes” since fifes are blown like flutes. Surprising what one finds on eBay, isn’t it?
The ‘vintage flutes’ are definitely plastic recorders - worth about $5 each, I guess (new). Of course plastic made before the new millenium could be classed as ‘vintage’(maybe not). The whistle is a walton’s brass D, in the Soodlums pack - but not sure of the exact model.
Steve 
(edited to coreect my original sloppy spelling of millenium!)
[ This Message was edited by: StevePower on 2002-04-26 16:18 ]
Saw this and was just too intrigued to not bid. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=861904897&r=0&t=0&showTutorial=0&ed=1020044397&indexURL=0&rd=1
Comes from a town near my hometown. It was my ‘what the heck’ bid.
Any guesses on what the thing by the embouchure is?
That thing by the embouchure is a sideways fipple. There is at least one “fife” on the market that does the same thing. You don’t have to know how to blow a flute to play it. It is just like a whistle held funny.
Let us know what you think when you get it!
-Patrick
The thing by the fipple is called a “cheater” by fife and drum folks. They were popular during the civil war era because it made it quicker to get a beginning fifer out on the battlefield. It would be frowned upon by most “ancients” today, though.
I have a sideways ??? Made by ‘Melody Flute’ Laurel?? with the same sort of mouthpiece but mine is welded on. Key of C. It’s old but still in tune and it sits on display at home. It did get me used to holding the flute sideways though and I’ve gone on to a 6 key military flute which is short.