In the golden age of sail, a ship's crew was focused on the shrill and piercing sound of the bosun's whistle. With its traditional shape, unchanged since the 13th century, his whistle was the bosun's badge of rank. Over the din of howling wind and flapping sails, his signals could be heard, instructing the crew how to act as one unit. Some of his repertoire of calls have become American idioms, such as "pipe down," the call that told deck hands to cease activity and turn in. Comes with a chain and instructions on how to blow the calls necessary to run a tight ship. Hand-polished brass. Approximately 5"L.