BACKGROUND: Dating back to the Grecian and Roman Empires, the Boatswain’s (Bosun's), whistle is one of the oldest and basic nautical accessory utilized in almost all Navies of the world. Traditionally the Boatswain was the individual in charge of the ships rigging and sails and as such had to be able to communicate with the personnel in the rigging high above the decks. The Boatswain’s whistle was used to provide audible command signals while on board ship as the shrill call of the whistle enabled it to be heard over most ship board noises whereas human voice commands could be come inaudible amongst the clamor of the noise or lost in high winds. The boatswain’s whistle was held in such high esteem that it became regarded as a "badge" of position and honor. Typically all the components of the Boatswain’s whistle were given nautical nomenclature. The Boatswain could blow a wide range of predetermine signals with each signal representing a different command.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Ornate, tooled nickel/silver alloy construction, classical design, Boatswain’s whistle. The roughly 12cm long, whistle consists of a curved, horizontal blow tube, with a scalloped mouthpiece, (The gun), to one end and a "sounding" bowl, (The buoy), to the other end with a circular cut-out top. The "sounding" bowl and the forward half of the blow tube have a brazed on vertical flange, (The keel), to the bottom edge. The flange has a small punched hole with an inserted circular metal ring, (The shackle), designed to attach the retaining lanyard. Original "lanyard" attached.