Guilland (Early American Folk Pottery, 1971), illustratesa stoneware whistle"covered with greenish brown glaze made in Pennsylvania between 1820 and 1850."  He says, children's whistles called "blow birds" were simple to operate.  Height 2 1/4 inches.  I've seen redware examples generaly attributed to Pennsyvania.  

Greer (American Stonewares) is less specific and does not illustrate any but notes that piebirds have an open base while the whistles have a closed base.

Jim Murphy

----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Austin <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, March 17, 2006 4:24 pm
Subject: Re: bird whistles

> Are you talking about 'pie birds' - little ceramic hollow figures 
> used to vent pies?  1930s to present, typically English and 
> American used but made all over.  BTW - they were available in 
> other shapes/figures as well.
> 
> Meta Janowitz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:  Has anyone 
> excavated or heard about bird-shaped whistles made of stoneware,
> please? I am trying to figure out their distributions and origins.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Meta
> 
> 
> 
> Meta F. Janowitz
> URS Corporation
> 437 High Street
> Burlington, N.J. 08016
> 609-386-5444
> 
> 
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> S.P. Austin
>