Hi
out of curiosity, anyone know what this one is (was)?
Collectors Vintage Tin Whistle Made In London Key D
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390009526329
Mark
It was what it was, the type is not too unusual. someone wanted it badly though. I put £19 in 8 sec before it ended and the next thing I know it ended at £33 which is a bit OTT
When you say ‘it was what it was’ Peter, what did I&H stand for? I tried to do a bit of research on it but never found out much. I was a sniper on it too - pushed a bit more than you Peter but Bluebay was obviously gunning for it.
cheers
Stephen
It’s a 19th/early 20th century type whistle, mass produced. The type is fairly common, they are on e-bay regularly and I have picked up around two dozen of them over the past year, just out of curiosity.
As far as I can see there is a limited number of different types. It appears, like what you see with concertinas of the same period, that instruments by a limited number of makers were either sold without name or were extensively re-branded. But that’s more an informed guess than anything else.
Usually these go fairly cheap, I once got a batch of three for a tenner (and lovely ones too as it happens), but on other times someone throws money at them, collectors looking for a particular brand probably.
I did get one fully keyed example once, which is a very lovely one.
Thanks for the info Peter. There’s a touch of the collector in you too I see - there’s a wee bit of magpie in all of us. I assumed that I&H was not the actual maker after I could find no relation to that image/brand in the musical instrument maker scene (I pm’d a member here who has a big book of brands and makers details 
). I will keep an eye on these things, as is my want, and maybe pick something up sometime. eBay is not quite as exciting as real auction houses but it saves on petrol and is open 24/7. Very dangerous…
cheers
Stephen