I also through a Board benefactor several years ago got O’Riordan Traveler G and D whistles and it’s not likely I’ll part with them. As I said, I also bought, at a greatly inflated price, a D/C Traveler set; Pat is making a Bflat/A set for me.
The whistles are unique, well made and terrific. They are probably worth a bit more than Pat sells them for and a lot less than they fetch on the resale market. They are pure, bright and relatively loud.
I don’t find the D/C as responsive as the Burke or Sindt in those keys. The G doesn’t have the moody growl of the Copeland, but has the loveliest tone one could imagine. The D is solid, steady right on and easy for me to play, but unremarkable.
Low D = $140
Low E/F= $175 (approx)
Low G = $95
Low A/Bb = $ UNKNOWN (not listed as available) Possibly around $135
C/D = $135
High Eb = $90
So the running total would be approx: $770.00
Pat adds 10% for nickel plated fittings as well, which brings things to approx: $847. It’s unclear on the price list I have if Pat charged extra for the nickel plating on the D/C set. I would imagine so.
At any rate, this list was sent to me back when Pat’s estimated wait was under two years long. So given that he’s no longer accepting orders, and that when I recieved mine a few years ago the wait had been extended to well over three years, I would call the opening bid certainly in a fair ballpark. Who knows what they’ll end up going for though. (Wish I could find someone who wanted to give me 6 grand. )
I wish it did, Phil, but there is nothing like holding the whistle in your hands and playing it yourself especially over a period of time. Whistles I never cared much for have become favorites. Others have peculiarities that have become annoyances.
Maybe its time to haul the O’Riordan out and see if I’ve gotten more fond of it.
For what it’s worth, I do have a complete set of Water Weasels (well, except for odd keys like B natural and Ab), and I’m doing my best to get a complete set of O’Riordan Travellers. They strike me as fitting in the same style of playing. Much as I love Glenn’s whistles (particularly the Bb and A), Pat’s are simply better, IMO. (Though I do wish I had a good excuse to buy a Thin Weasel C – what a wonderful instrument.)
Though much as I like O’Riordans, I don’t understand the insane demand for them. Is it all collectors? I have a hard time imagining buying one at the prices they’re going for, and then when I hear someone’s done that and then lets the whistles sit gathering dust… They’re great whistles, and they don’t deserve to be treated like they’re Star Wars action figures which must be forever kept in mint condition.
I think this price is for the Traveller whistles. The D/C set Jessie is selling are different whistles – I don’t recall what Pat calls that model, but I’m pretty sure his list price for them wouild have been less. (The D mouthpiece on a Generation body was less than half the cost of the D Traveller. But then, apparently this set is Generation-style bodies that Pat made.)
I do agree that $1200 sounds like a very reasonable starting price to me. Especially considering that a couple of the whistles listed have recently sold in the $600 range by themselves…
My guess is that all the action here will be in the last few hours. If the reserve is under $3,000 I would be very surprised. A serious bidder would be stupid to start playing their hand now I should have thought.
If you were to bid $2,500 or even $3,000 just to see if that would buy you the whistles, I can’t imagine that you’d lose your money, even if you had to sell on most of the whistles more or less straight away.
I’d buy them if I were a multimillionaire. Why not? I’m curious. But, right now I want value for money and, for that money, I’d get a new bouzouki or button accordeon.
How far will it go? I imagine the market for O’Riordans over the odds is by no means exhausted. But it will flatten out sooner or later. Relatively few high quality concertinas were produced in the heyday of concertinas and they are worth quite a lot today, and the price of anglos is going up now that they are getting sort of popular again, especially in ITM circles. Also, only about three makers make real concertinas of the quality of the best originals. That sort of rarity is never going to be an issue with whistles although, of course, many more people play whistle than anglo concertina.
The fact that pat is no longer taking any orders will very likely have an impact on the final bid price. And as for whistles in general, I think you’re correct. but when you narrow it down to a select few, well hand made instreuments, I think there will always be a market. Who knows what an O’Riordan might go for in 10 years? 50? I might be able to put some kids through college too.
I agree Brian. Once they level out, if I’m right in thinking they will, they won’t lose value unless whistles suddenly go out of fashion. But I don’t think they’ll continue to gain value, at least not quickly. My reasoning is that Abells and Copelands and Busmans would be going for those prices if they were as rare. I might be wrong, but I see just as many pople saying O’Riordans are just good high-end whistles as I hear saying they are really special. And we all have the whistles we think are really special.
But hey, this is the market. Who knows?
Perhaps the hidden hand of the (whistle) market belongs to JessieK.
Ouch! If I payed that much for a set as you are suggesting (Each whistle x $600) they had better play by themselves LOL. I do understand that these are wonderful instruments, but to me there isn’t a whistle out there worth that much
Yeah, sure, the fact he’s not taking orders and that he won’t be around forever, is sad and it probably means that barring something unpredictable, i’ll never have one of those whistles. So what? There’s a lot of things i’ll never have. My life shouldn’t be evaluated by the things i have anyway.
I’m watching that auction on eBay, though. I wouldn’t buy them, but hopefully someone will, and set a new record for whistle prices. Maybe one day whistles will fetch as much as that famous grilled cheese sandwich, on eBay!
What’s that great line the the Sheryl Crow song? Something like:
“It’s not having what you want
It’s wanting what you’ve got”
I love my O’Riordans, and would be hard pressed to part with them at this point. They are truly unique whistles, and I have yet to hear anything that sounds close to them. From my understanding however, there are makers out there coming close. (David Boisivart?) ((sp?))
At any rate, someone will most likely enjoy these when they go…
Nope not a WHOA-crazed guy. He has been REALLY good lately and is only on TWO waiting lists. But I think he did just sell a house. She did put a cap on the bidding though. :roll: Probably a good thing.
Was that with tomato? Cause if it was, geez; I can’t believe I missed it. No tomato and I don’t care. But grilled cheese WITH TOMATO - how could I have missed that…
)
She did put a cap on the bidding though. :roll: Probably a good thing.