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New-Style Original Clarke Tinwhistle
No Gold Diamonds!
Available in the key of D
Tweeked version also
available (a Whistle Shop exclusive!)
12/15/05 - PLEASE NOTE:
This whistle is not available at this time; Clarke has stopped producing them.
We'll post a note in the "New Items" section of our
homepage if Clarke ever makes
them available again.
Due to popular demand, Clarke has re-designed the look of their Original
Clarke, and have taken off the gold diamonds. At the same time, they re-designed their
logo.
This whistle is available in the key of D (D is
the most popular key for traditional Irish music). We may
have a few New-style Clarkes left in stock in the key of C; please
contact us if you'd like
to check availability. This whistle is made of tin-plate, and has a
wooden fipple (mouthpiece), giving it a warm, flute-like tone. Also included is a song
sheet with fingering chart.
Clarke has been making their Penny Whistles, basically
unchanged, since 1843. Look below for the Robert Clarke story.
If you are unsure which key to order, please see our Beginner's Section for more info.
Note that we also offer a
"tweeked" version of this new-style Clarke whistle in the key of D (see our "Tweeked" Original Clarke Page for more
details about what we do to tweek this whistle).
The Robert Clarke Story:
- In 1843, Robert Clarke a poor farm laborer left his employer after having
been unjustly accused of dishonesty. He was a talented amateur musician and played a
wooden whistle. He developed the idea of copying his whistle but used tinplate to do so.
He made the block in the mouthpiece out of wood which he cut into shape using a homemade
saw. This saw started life as one of his wife's corset stays! Then he decided to mass
produce his new style of whistle. He loaded the necessary materials and his simple tools
onto a handbarrow and, together with his son, walked all the way from Suffolk to
Manchester. On the way he would set up his workshop barrow in market places, showing how
the whistles were made and selling them. He would also play for the entertainment of the
crowds that gathered round. His most popular piece was "Danny Boy". It is said
that the whole busy market would stop and listen when he played this piece.
If you own one of our Tweeked
Original Clarkes (or a Tweeked New-style Clarke), then you might want to make a "Muffler" for it. This very
simple to make little gizmo allows you to control the tone, volume and air requirements of
your Tweeked Clarke.
NOTE (about Tweeked Clarkes):
Due to increased demand for our Tweeked Clarkes, shipment of your order may be delayed
when it includes a "Tweeked" Clarke Whistle. This delay
should never be over one week.
(Don't forget to order a Whistle
Pouch for your whistle!)
12/15/05 - PLEASE NOTE:
This whistle is not available at this time; Clarke has stopped producing them.
We'll post a note in the "New Items" section of our
homepage if Clarke ever makes
them available again.
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