Object Description
A good example of a Victorian birch bird scarer or police rattle having a beech handle. When the metropolitan police were formed in 1829, they were issued with rattles that fitted into specially made pockets in the swallow tails of their coats. In 1884 whistles were introduced and by 1887 all rattles had been withdrawn, as they found that whistles could be heard twice the distance of a rattle. They were often used in football matches. This is an excellent example and has a lovely rich colour and excellent patination.