18. århundrede blytin fløjte - 38 mm (Ingen mindstepris)

18th Century Pewter Whistle

Culture / Period: 18th century
Date / Period: 18th century
Material: Pewter
Dimensions: 38 mm
Condition: God stand

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 836

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the whistle from P.P. in Baarland, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, P.P. from Baarland (the Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990s.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1990s.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This cast pewter whistle dates to the 18th century and represents a common but essential personal signalling instrument used throughout the Early Modern period. Its compact size, moulded body, and integral suspension loop allowed it to be carried on a cord, attached to clothing, or suspended from a chatelaine or belt for convenient everyday use.

Whistles of this type served a variety of practical purposes. They were employed by watchmen, coachmen, servants, tradesmen, and travellers to attract attention, summon assistance, signal instructions, or communicate over short distances. Similar examples are known from urban centres, military contexts, and maritime environments throughout northwestern Europe.

The whistle was produced by casting in reusable moulds, reflecting the well-developed pewter-working industry of the 17th and 18th centuries. Pewter offered an affordable, durable material that could be shaped into functional objects while remaining resistant to corrosion during regular use.

Complete examples with their suspension loop and mouthpiece intact are increasingly sought after, as many surviving whistles have suffered damage or heavy wear through prolonged use. This example preserves its characteristic form well and illustrates an everyday object that would have accompanied its owner during work or travel.

It forms a tangible connection to the daily life of the Early Modern period, when simple signalling devices such as this played a practical role in communication, safety, and public life.