File:PM Silver whistle (FindID 196762).jpg

English: The reported object is a small whistle made of silver sheet. It is complete, retaining a small suspension ring (for a ribbon) on its underside. It is plain without maker's mark or decoration, and has a domed end which has been soldered to the pipe. Metal Content Analysis to ascertain the elemental composition of the artefacts was carried out by Mary Davis using a CamScan MaXim 2040 analytical scanning electron microscope (SEM), plus an Oxford Instruments Link Isis energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX). The object was examined whole within the specimen chamber and analysed for 100 live seconds using a working distance of 35mm and an accelerating voltage of 20kV. Where possible, areas of metal exposed from under the surface corrosion were analysed; this occurred either when the object was found, or where a flaw in the surface allowed tiny areas of metal to be exposed with a pin vice or scalpel blade. Apart from very superficial surface swabbing of the artefacts there was usually no further sample preparation. All the results presented are semi-quantitative. Overall totals taken from minimally prepared surfaces are usually affected to some degree by the surface geometry of the artefact, including factors such as curvature, pitting and indentations etc. Other factors that can also affect the results include surface oxidation, surface enrichment or depletion of certain elements, contamination from closely adhering dirt or cleaning agents, and preferential corrosion, (as with debased silver where copper corrodes at the surface).

Three separate readings were taken from the object, and the majority of the overall totals acquired were relatively low due to the factors described above. The results were normalised to 100% to obtain consistency between the readings and to make the analyses comparable with other results.

Average composition of silver: 3% copper 97% silver

Summary and conclusions

The dating of plain whistles can be difficult, and recourse has to be made to stylistic comparisons, in the absence of independent dating evidence. Similar plain whistles include a 'huntsman's whistle fragment' from Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, attributed to the 17th century (length 30.8mm; Treasure Annual Report 2004, no. 346). The form is similar to one with ornate decoration reported in 2007 from North Yorkshire (length 35mm; UK Finds Database UKDFD Ref. No. 5940). Another small whistle with decoration and maker's mark, from a site 'near Hereford', has been attributed to the 17th century (2008 T221; D Thornton, in litt.).

A whistle from the Chichester area dated to the mid-17th century is longer, and decorated with transverse bands (Treasure Annual Report 1998-99, no. 242); another, of comparable form, was found in 2000 at Dunchurch, Warwickshire (length 49mm; Treasure Annual Report 2000, no. 221). A longer whistle was found in the Doncaster area in 2001 (length 82mm; Treasure Annual Report 2001, no. 168).

Other items associated with hawking to be found in Wales include a 17-century hawk-ring from Llantrithyd (Treasure Annual Report 2001, no. 167). On balance, the Old Radnor whistle is likely to be 17th century, though it could be late in the range (c. 1650-1700).

It is my opinion that as an object which has at least 10 per cent by weight precious metal, and which is at least 300 years old, it is treasure under Section 1 (1) (a) of the Treasure Act 1996.