Post-Medieval Pewter Figural Bird Whistle Culture / Period: Post-Medieval Date / Period: 18th - 19th century Material: Pewter Dimensions: 45 - 42 mm Condition: Good condition 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: 934 The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the figural bird whistle from R.N. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The previous owner, R.N. of Rotterdam, did not provide a date for when the object entered his collection. According to the previous owner, the object had previously formed part of a private collection in the Netherlands. The date and duration of this earlier ownership were not provided and remain unknown. No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner. Background Information: This post-medieval pewter whistle is modelled as a standing bird, with a prominent head and beak, feathered body and an integral tubular mouthpiece projecting from the rear. The plumage is rendered with moulded linear and feather-like details, demonstrating how an everyday sound-producing object could also be given an attractive figural form. Small whistles of this kind could serve as recreational objects, signalling devices or toys, although the precise original use of this individual example cannot be established. Bird forms were particularly appropriate for whistles because of their natural association with song and calls, combining the object's function with its visual appearance. Pewter was widely employed for small domestic and personal objects in post-medieval Europe. Its relatively low melting point made it particularly suitable for casting detailed forms in reusable moulds, allowing craftsmen to produce decorative objects efficiently. Such wares were distributed through established workshops, markets and regional commercial networks. Dating to the 18th–19th century, this whistle belongs to a period in which inexpensive cast metal objects became increasingly accessible within everyday material culture. Combining practical function with carefully modelled decoration, it forms a tangible connection to the craftsmanship, recreation and daily life of the post-medieval period."