Naval Battle rattle

kevikens

2nd Lieutenant
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Location
New Jersey
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Picked this up at a show today. Nobody appeared to know what it was. Some suggested a coffee grinder. Some a door knocker. Looked like a 19th Century battle rattle to me, the kind fastened to a bulkhead or mast. I found a similar one at a site listing marine and nautical antiques. Supposedly quite rare. It is such good shape, though, I am wondering if it might be a repro.
 
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Picked this up at a show today. Nobody appeared to know what it was. Some suggested a coffee grinder. Some a door knocker. Looked like a 19th Century battle rattle to me, the kind fastened to a bulkhead or mast. I found a similar one at a site listing marine and nautical antiques. Supposedly quite rare. It is such good shape, though, I am wondering if it might be a repro.
Thanks for posting this query and photo of your purchase. It is, indeed, in great shape. It is the first I've seen of this configuration: those I've seen were much simpler.
I wouldn't be put off by the good condition. relics like this were often laid up in warehouses or lofts, untouched for years.
Does it have any marking?
 
Thanks for posting this query and photo of your purchase. It is, indeed, in great shape. It is the first I've seen of this configuration: those I've seen were much simpler.
I wouldn't be put off by the good condition. relics like this were often laid up in warehouses or lofts, untouched for years.
Does it have any marking?
There is no legible writing or markings I can find, except for some deep scratches in a line. This thing must be made out of teakwood. It weighs a ton. Inside, where the rattle is, it is full of dust. It may have been polished or restained because on the reverse side which, appears to be unstained, certainly not polished anyway, there seems to be a couple of drip marks. There are wear marks on the reverse side where it may have worn against a bulkhead of mast. The handle is attached with what appears to be a copper nail with a square head and the handle seems to be made of a different kind of wood.
 
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Very Unusually piece and way out of my wheelhouse.
 
Same here. I have several of the hand held battle rattles and only intuited what this item was from the action of the rattle as the handle was turned and seeing the four screw mounts on the brass projections for attaching to a bulkhead. I am guessing it would have been put where there would be no searching around for a hand held rattle on a shelf at night in an emergency. Like a fire extinguisher everyone would know where it was. There is a nautical artifact site called, West Sea Company, where one is pictured (and already sold so no price is attached) and described with respect to its use. The four screws holding the two brass projections that would have attached it somewhere are flathead brass screws, flush with the back piece. It is such a beautiful object I think I may mount it next to a naval sword I have.
 
There is no legible writing or markings I can find, except for some deep scratches in a line. This thing must be made out of teakwood. It weighs a ton. Inside, where the rattle is, it is full of dust. It may have been polished or restained because on the reverse side which, appears to be unstained, certainly not polished anyway, there seems to be a couple of drip marks. There are wear marks on the reverse side where it may have worn against a bulkhead of mast. The handle is attached with what appears to be a copper nail with a square head and the handle seems to be made of a different kind of wood.
Thanks for your response and additional detail.
Sounds like a great historical item and a great conversation piece.
 
That's a interesting looking piece but I have to ask what exactly was a battle rattle used for? Was it an alert for call to arms or battle stations?
Yes, exactly that. I have read that the sound was supposed to simulate rapid gunfire, a rat-a-tat sound. I never thought they sounded like that but in a day before electronic warnings, like a claxon, they do get one's notice and I image these things being activated in the middle of the night got everyone's attention really fast. I have also read that after they had been retired from service, WW I saw them reissued to troops in the trenches to warn of gas attacks. I don't know if the US Navy still employs buglers but in the mid 1950's the USN still employed bugles for the same reason as the manual battle rattles, as a call to go to battle stations if electronic communications were compromised.
 
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Yes, exactly that. I have read that the sound was supposed to simulate rapid gunfire, a rat-a-tat sound. I never thought they sounded like that but in a day before electronic warnings, like a claxon, they do get one's notice and I image these things being activated in the middle of the night got everyone's attention really fast. I have also read that after they had been retired from service, WW I saw them reissued to troops in the trenches to warm of gas attacks. I don't know if the US Navy still employs buglers but in the mid 1950's the USN still employed bugles for the same reason as the manual battle rattles, as a call to go to battle stations if electronic communications were compromised.
Thanks for filling me in, yeah you could have some fun with it.
 
I was thinking WWI gas alarm when I first read this, although I remembered seeing a Civil War era Naval battle alarm in some book. So I had a general idea of what you were talking about. It is a nice looking item. I wonder how loud it is. I have heard the WWI rattle being used. It is an annoying and unique noise.
 
I was thinking WWI gas alarm when I first read this, although I remembered seeing a Civil War era Naval battle alarm in some book. So I had a general idea of what you were talking about. It is a nice looking item. I wonder how loud it is. I have heard the WWI rattle being used. It is an annoying and unique noise.
I had to 'try it out" but probably should not. As I examined it closely I think it is an original as there are two long exactly parallel hairline cracks where the rattle is joined to the main body and both lead down to some kind of metal joint which seems to hold the whole thing together. That joint is probably to allow access to the blades of the rattle which, being somewhat fragile, would have to be periodically replaced. As for the sound itself, it is annoying, noticeable, attention getting, but if measured in decibels it does not seem to be ear splitting, but perhaps below decks it carries farther.
 
The order "Rattle to quarters" doesn't quite have the same ring as " Beat to Quarters" does it LOL !.
Good one. Sort of like "Don't shoot until you see their ocular conjunctiva", but how long does it take to train a drummer, how many drummers are on board compared to the simplicity and multiplicity of turning a handle? That does raise an interesting question, though. Just who on board had the responsibility of using these things to rouse the crew? Boatswain's mate? Watch officer? An observant powder monkey? Would any crew member be permitted to use the rattle in case he spotted a fire or could the observer only try to find an officer for authorization?
 
Good one. Sort of like "Don't shoot until you see their ocular conjunctiva", but how long does it take to train a drummer, how many drummers are on board compared to the simplicity and multiplicity of turning a handle? That does raise an interesting question, though. Just who on board had the responsibility of using these things to rouse the crew? Boatswain's mate? Watch officer? An observant powder monkey? Would any crew member be permitted to use the rattle in case he spotted a fire or could the observer only try to find an officer for authorization?
If it's anything like waving a flag, not so simple for some people. putting my railroad hat on, I trained many to despatch trains: Three fundamental mistakes : waving the wrong colour, failing to unfurl the flag in the first place - it's not very visible if you are 10 cars away from the engineer, and letting go of the stick ! I could imagine all sorts of sillies with a rattle !
 
Yes, exactly that. I have read that the sound was supposed to simulate rapid gunfire, a rat-a-tat sound. I never thought they sounded like that but in a day before electronic warnings, like a claxon, they do get one's notice and I image these things being activated in the middle of the night got everyone's attention really fast. I have also read that after they had been retired from service, WW I saw them reissued to troops in the trenches to warn of gas attacks. I don't know if the US Navy still employs buglers but in the mid 1950's the USN still employed bugles for the same reason as the manual battle rattles, as a call to go to battle stations if electronic communications were compromised.
So far as I know, there are no more shipboard buglers in the USN. As a call to general Quarters, it has been replaced by electronic 'gongs'. I am uncertain whether the Boatswain's Pipe is still used as another means to alert the crew: it may be a lost art among today's sailors.
 
So far as I know, there are no more shipboard buglers in the USN. As a call to general Quarters, it has been replaced by electronic 'gongs'. I am uncertain whether the Boatswain's Pipe is still used as another means to alert the crew: it may be a lost art among today's sailors.
Now here this! Now here this! The bugler is kaput. The bugler is kaput. That is all.
 
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