James Dixon & Sons
Encyclopedia
J Dixon & Sons founded 1806 in Sheffield
, was one of the major British manufacturers in the Industrial Revolution
of the 19th century. They were the best-known manufacturer of Britannia metal
, and also the world leader in manufacturing shooting accessories thru the late Victorian era
, and numerous other items from precision tools to aircraft propellors, They were particularly known as whistle
makers, known for their outstanding quality; they were one of the 4 great whistle makers , the others being W Dowler & Sons
, J Stevens & Son
& T Yates
.
It was located first at Silver Street (1806), Cornish Place
(1822) Sheffield .
Their registered trade mark since 1879 was a Trumpet with a Banner hanging from it.
The firm continued to be a family run enterprise until 1976. .
In 1915 the company sold its stock to an Italian Co. and ceaced manufacturing shooting accessories.
Since 1976 The company was purchased and was in an American ownership.
Early models of Dixon horn made Round pea whistle were in use with carriage drivers & railway conductors since the 1840s and mailmen of the Post Office as early as 1850 .
, German silver (also known as nickel silver
) , gun metal, Britannia metal, ivory , and horn, often using cocoa wood for fipples, A unique feature by which their round pea whistles can be identified.
Dixon models were intended mostly for outdoor sporting goods, such as hunting related dog calls, shooting gadgets combination whistles, extractors of various kinds and round whistles (in multiple sizes of over 50 different models), Beaufort whistles & double chamber type . D Dixon did not make Escargot-type whistles. It was not known that Dixon & Sons made general service whistles (GSWs) until 2006 when one was discovered.
At 1938 The family donated a collection of whistles made by Dixon to the City of Sheffield, the collection is displayed at the City Hall and pictured at a brochure about Sheffield's arm accsesories makers.( See Picture in External link ).
, except for the ones made of sterling silver .
As a result all of Dixon stamped whistles are very rare; the ones stamped J. Dixon & Sons are be a bit less rare than the others, as is the Dixon Logo of Trumpet and Banner.
Stamps found on their whistles are: " Durham county constabulary " on Tappered round whistles , some refer to as short Beauforts.
Distributors name stamps found include "C. Parker Late Merry Parker & Merry", "Merry Phipson & Parker", "C. Parker" ," Priest Oxford St." , "F. Sykes", "Patstone Southampton", "Swaine & Co. London" . The stamps: "Nimrod " and " Patent No.33196 " (Moffatt's patent 11396 of 1887) are to be found on extractors and shooting gadgets as well as stamps of numbers 8, 12, & 16, showing the extractor ([cartridge puller]) gauge.
Some rare sterling silver whistles are found with the standard British silver hallmarks
of the time and initials "J.D & Sons".
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, was one of the major British manufacturers in the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
of the 19th century. They were the best-known manufacturer of Britannia metal
Britannia metal
Britannia metal or britannium is a pewter-type alloy favoured for its silvery appearance and smooth surface. The composition is approximately 93% tin, 5% antimony, and 2% copper....
, and also the world leader in manufacturing shooting accessories thru the late Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, and numerous other items from precision tools to aircraft propellors, They were particularly known as whistle
Whistle
A whistle or call is a simple aerophone, an instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means...
makers, known for their outstanding quality; they were one of the 4 great whistle makers , the others being W Dowler & Sons
W Dowler & Sons
W Dowler & Sons founded 1744 in Birmingham were a large scale manufacturer of numerous goods, notably buttons, Vesta matches, hand bells, letter balances, swords, corkscrews and whistles.- History :...
, J Stevens & Son
J Stevens & Son
J. Stevens & Son Was A British Company located since 1820s in London & Glasgow, Brass Founders Manufacturing Military & Railway supplies & engineers.In 1871 The company name changed to J...
& T Yates
T Yates
T Yates was a Birmingham manufacturer of metal goods, for home, being manufactured use since early 19th century .He made whistles during the victorian era and was the leading whistle manufacturer in Britain for many years ....
.
It was located first at Silver Street (1806), Cornish Place
Cornish Place
Cornish Place is a Listed building situated in the Neepsend area of the City of Sheffield. The building was formerly the factory of James Dixon & Sons, a Britannia metal, Sheffield plate and Cutlery manufacturer...
(1822) Sheffield .
Their registered trade mark since 1879 was a Trumpet with a Banner hanging from it.
The firm continued to be a family run enterprise until 1976. .
In 1915 the company sold its stock to an Italian Co. and ceaced manufacturing shooting accessories.
Since 1976 The company was purchased and was in an American ownership.
Early history
Whistles first appeared in a Dixon catalogue in 1883 though some of their whistles appeared in gun, rifles & sporting goods catalogs of American manufacturers & distributors as early as 1872 for [dog call]s made of Britannia metal,Early models of Dixon horn made Round pea whistle were in use with carriage drivers & railway conductors since the 1840s and mailmen of the Post Office as early as 1850 .
Models, whistle types & Materials
Dixon manufactured whistles of Sterling SilverSterling silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925....
, German silver (also known as nickel silver
Nickel silver
Nickel silver, also known as German silver, Argentann, new silver, nickel brass, albata,, or alpacca, is a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but it contains no elemental silver...
) , gun metal, Britannia metal, ivory , and horn, often using cocoa wood for fipples, A unique feature by which their round pea whistles can be identified.
Dixon models were intended mostly for outdoor sporting goods, such as hunting related dog calls, shooting gadgets combination whistles, extractors of various kinds and round whistles (in multiple sizes of over 50 different models), Beaufort whistles & double chamber type . D Dixon did not make Escargot-type whistles. It was not known that Dixon & Sons made general service whistles (GSWs) until 2006 when one was discovered.
At 1938 The family donated a collection of whistles made by Dixon to the City of Sheffield, the collection is displayed at the City Hall and pictured at a brochure about Sheffield's arm accsesories makers.( See Picture in External link ).
Body stamps
Most of the Dixon whistles found are not stamped, as it was not customary to stamp whistles in the earlier Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, except for the ones made of sterling silver .
As a result all of Dixon stamped whistles are very rare; the ones stamped J. Dixon & Sons are be a bit less rare than the others, as is the Dixon Logo of Trumpet and Banner.
Stamps found on their whistles are: " Durham county constabulary " on Tappered round whistles , some refer to as short Beauforts.
Distributors name stamps found include "C. Parker Late Merry Parker & Merry", "Merry Phipson & Parker", "C. Parker" ," Priest Oxford St." , "F. Sykes", "Patstone Southampton", "Swaine & Co. London" . The stamps: "Nimrod " and " Patent No.33196 " (Moffatt's patent 11396 of 1887) are to be found on extractors and shooting gadgets as well as stamps of numbers 8, 12, & 16, showing the extractor ([cartridge puller]) gauge.
Some rare sterling silver whistles are found with the standard British silver hallmarks
Silver hallmarks
A sterling silver object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more silver hallmarks indicating the purity of the silver, the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith, and other markings to indicate date of manufacture and additional information about the piece...
of the time and initials "J.D & Sons".