List:
I’ve got 2 Abell Whistles, one in Blackwood with silver trim and the other in Cocobola with Brass Trim. The Metal trim on the Abell whistles doesn’t seem to tarnish and I wonder if Mr. Abell puts a lacquer Coat or something on the Brass and silver to prevent it from tarnishing. I would like to get a tarnished look on the Brass, does anyone have any idea how to achieve this? I do Revolutionary War Reeacting and would like to have an "Antique " looking finish on this Whistle.I did leave an Email with Mr. Abell but have not heard back from him.
Mr. F
To tarnish your Abell. . .
Give it to me. . .when I return it it will have the patina of GREAT AGE.
I think that may be in 2040 or so. But I PROMISE you…money back guarantee. . .it will appear older.
I don’t think he put anything on the silver since mine needs the occasional polish. Though, your mouth may not make the mouthpiece tarnish. So you might want to touch the metal with your fingers before you put the whistles away after playing to promote tarnish.
Though . . . just because you do re-enactments doesn’t mean the whistles have to look decrepit. Old-timey whistlers may have taken great care of their instruments 
. On that note, if you want to be accurate to the reenactment, you’d probably want either a wooden fife or a metal whistle . . . since I think timber whistles are a relatively recent happening.
Could you post a pic of the Abell made from cocobolo with brass? I didn’t know Chris used anything but sterling silver for the metal on his instruments.
Stuart
Is it possible that the trim is gold plate and not brass?
jim
Pardon me, but are you sure the brass one is an Abell? Did you get it from Chris or from someone second-hand who could have been mistaken?
I’m with Jessie . . . that’s why I asked for a photo. I don’t think Chris uses anything but silver.
Stuart
Chris has made a few with gold fittings, too.
GOLD gold, as in solid, or something plated?
Stuart
Solid 14k rose gold.
List:
Yep this is an Abell Whistle, he made it for me around 3 months ago. I’ve had a standard Blackwood Abell Whistle with Silver trim for a good long while and was very partial to the sound. I’ve had a Cocobola Fife which looks real nice and also had at one time a Grinter whistle in Cocobola with Brass and I asked Chris if he would make me a Whistle in Rosewood or Cocobola and could he use brass trim which again I really like. No problem it was completed in around 6 months. it sounds about the same as the Blackwood.
As to using this in a reenactment, it really doesn’t matter what Whistle you use… there is no documentation for their existence in that period.
As to the tarnished look in that period it is just personal preference. I do have a very unique whistle made by Fred Rose …it’s out of Blackwood , looks like a recorder and had a Baroque look about it and could be used for my RevWar Events, but it’s to valuable to play outside.
I would be glad to post pictures of both the Abell Brass Whistle as well as the Rose Whistle, but what would I need to do it?
Mr.F
Wow, a brass Abell. That is fascinating! Cool. To post pictures, you will need either web space to host the picture or someone to do it for you and then you can include the address with a little bit of code to post it here.
~Jessie
Edit: removed offer to help
[ This Message was edited by: JessieK on 2002-12-14 19:07 ]
Pictures! I want pictures, please–
if you have the opportunity.
Jim and list:
I’d love to get a picture of both the Abell Cocobola Whistle and Fred Rose Baroque looking whistle posted. I can borrow a digital camera, but don’t know how I’d scan it up .I’m up on tech up to a point, but I’ve never sent a picture…
Mr.F
I don’t know what kind of clear coat may be on your whistle, but the clear coating I use comes off with lacqer thinner. Just put a tiny bit on a rag and wipe the metal with it. I would avoid touching the wood part with the thinner.
Best of luck,
Sandy
On 2002-12-14 09:07, Mr. Fandango wrote:
I do Revolutionary War Reeacting and would like to have an "Antique " looking finish on this Whistle.
OK, I’ve never understood this. I do re-enacting also, and hear this all the time.
Um, folks, way back then, that nifty “antique” was NEW! There’s no reason for it to look tarnished or beat up unless your persona is a poor slob. People back then took just as much pride in fine posessions as we do now, if not more so. If you owned something that nice in that period, you sure as heck wouldn’t let it corrode or get beat up.
(in the background… “Sir, step off the soap-box, slowly!”)
I agree that a slight patina of age looks good on brass, which is why I don’t clearcoat the fittings on my own whistles.
I would definitely let Chris do the work for you though. Too many opportunities to damage a very fine whistle.
Hey B.P. what I goter do ta get one O yer whistles?
Wiz
List:
A tarnished . old antique look is just my personal preference, my main Whistles ,2 early brass Copelands look beat to crap and I like them that way. New Shiny instruments catch the eyes and sometimes hands of people and these are very valuable instruments that I wish to keep.
In terms of items at revWar events looking old or new… well that would depend An the article.An article that was 100 plus years old in 1780 would be an antique by then, if it was just made, it would look new.
But in regards to a look for a Whistle during that period , its a moot point, because to the best of my understanding they didnt exist then. Recorders, 1 key Flutes and flagolettes were around, but no whistles…
Mr F