I’ve had this thing since I was young. We dug it up in the yard probably before 1990. It has no identifying marks, but plays like a d whistle. The low octave is very touchy… you have to barely breathe into it to keep it down, but it plays pretty loud in the second octave.
I’m assuming we will call it a whistle because of the fipple/mouthpiece, right? It has a cork stopper. I figured if anyone has seen something like this before, it would be the chiffers. Have we seen something like this before?
It’s a Zombie Flute, that refuses to stay buried in the ground. Either that, or a Melody Flute. See:
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-have-i-just-brought/75138/1
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/thoughts-about-the-melody-flute-from-laurel-md/70379/1
It’s a transverse fipple flute, yes. But I think we’d reserve “whistle” for vertical fipple flutes.
The markings are very lightly incised, and unless they’re worn off completely you might be able to see them with a magnifier. Including the key marking. The only examples we’ve come across here are in C, not D. But check the pitch.
It’s a “cheater” fife.
How does it play in the third register with fife fingerings?
MTGuru’s links pretty much answered everything else.
I’m not sure what fife fingerings are…
Knew I could count on C&F!
http://www.beafifer.com/fingering.htm
The first register is not shown, but the second “D” is where the brutal volume should begin. The lower octave with the very soft half of the register is just to tame the upper stuff. I think that the nice zone for such a melody flute should be from g to G’ (hope I got that correct).
I’d have to dig mine out of a box to check. But it already takes a lot of air in the 2nd octave, and of course there’s no fife-y way way to tighten your embouchure as you go up. So I think 3rd 8va will take a bigger blow than most would be comfortable with (apart from whether or not the fingerings work).
Yeah, the third octave would probably take a huff, and a puff, and a blow your house down.
That was why I was not looking for the the high third register (and defiantly not a sweet pure soft high B of a fife) but the third register G witch might be okay.
Edit: What I mean to say is that I think that this instrument would most likely be best from the first register g to the third register G’.
MTGuru is into the whistle embouchure stuff, and could add pointers on how to blow the thing, but anything with a mouthpiece is just out of my league.
Yep, it’s a whistle that’s not a whistle and a flute that’s not a flute and in C that’s not in C.
I had one that came with some others in a trade and stood on a stand with whistles for a few years then sold to some lucky person who may have buried it. On mine the fipple was loose and could be moved around to adjust the pitch and tone…which didn’t.
It’s vintage and interesting and (playable) but not in a session… 
Here is another example of the find and disposal of one. http://www.all-brass-instruments.com/brass-43885-Vintage-Classic-MELODY-FLUTE-CO-Brass-Nickel-Flute
I bought one on eBay a few years back as a curiosity. It plays, sorta OK, in mostly C but I used a whole bunch of tape getting the notes in tune. As I understand it, these were the in competition with the Flutophone and the Tonette as a primary school introduction to a musical instrument. You can still get them on the various auction sites as well as the instruction booklets (they were actually printed and not run off on a mimeograph machine—for those of you old enough to remember purple ink).
Always wonder whether this sort of “instrument” encouraged kids to improved instruments or caused them to run screaming to some other hobby.
Best wishes.
Steve
those old links were fun!
A visit to the mudcat cafe is certainly worth it.
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=17328
I have one of these in c – it was tucked inside a melodica case that I picked up at a thrift shop. Looks like a fife cheat soldered onto the side of a whistle body, nickel over copper, no discernable brand naming – I always thought it was home-made and about eighty years old. Very free blower and easily the most chiffy “whistle” sound I’ve ever heard, a little flat in the second register.
https://imageshack.com/i/ip14W5n4j
https://imageshack.com/i/iqXdEP8Zj
Briant