Barling Acquisitions-Part Deux

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graydawn

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 7, 2014
164
1
Took a few more pictures of the Barlings. The cased set stamp that was discussed is clearly a S.M. and I believe that this is for small. The pipes are 5" in length and perfect for my Virginia Flakes. There was little to no use, so cleaning was a breeze.
The panel is a octagon. I will need some help on the hallmarking, but again, clearly factory Barling. The L stamp on the right shank I believe is for size Large (although it is 5" long). The Freak stamp may be from a store in Australia or some obscure Barling designation. The button has a round orifice and the entire stem is pristine as is the overall condition.
Thanks for all the comments!
Richard

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Gorgeous pipes! S-M refers to the size as "Small-Medium" "L" is for large. Prior to 1938-39 Barling made pipes in three sizes. Then they expanded the variety to encompass the SS thru EXEXEL size range.
There's some debate about when Barling started stamping sizes on their pipes. The general consensus is around 1940, but I've been able to reliably date to 1935. Yours looks like a 1920's era piece, and with its orific bit, that seems more than likely. It would be very cool to find a hallmarked piece that pushes the practice earlier!
Can you tell me what the date stamp is on the FREAK pipe? It's clearly a quaint shape ("Q"? That would be a first!)?
Do the S-M pipes have a reg number on the underside of the stem?

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
Definitely need a better look at the hallmarks, the London date series can be found here,
http://www.silvercollection.it/englishsilverhallmarks.html

 

graydawn

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 7, 2014
164
1
Here are the Hallmarks. No reg. numbers on the underside of the stems on any of the pipes. However, the cased set each has a narrow N on the stem, definitely not a Barling cross and no indication of buffing. The pipes were barely smoked. Maybe 1925?
Richard

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graydawn

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 7, 2014
164
1
I'm wrong about the N on the Cased set. I can now see the faint indications of the Barling Cross.

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dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
Richard, new pictures did the trick, a lowercase k, 1925. dovetails correctly with what sablebrush was saying about the orific stem opening. The remnant N is the N in the BARLING cross, I can see traces of it in your picture.
Dave

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Richard,
That is quite a find. I'm envious, let me tell you. The Reg numbers would have placed the companion set between 1936 and 1950. The lack of Reg numbers doesn't preclude them having been made during that period, just means that it can't be confirmed.
The "L", coupled with the 1925 date hallmark suggests that Barling did use size stamps much earlier than previously thought. This must have been very rare, because collectors with whom I've discussed this, some of whom have collected for decades, have never seen one with a size stamp from this era. Of course, it's possible that the "L" means something else, but I tend to think it's a size stamp, given its placement. Why I was curious to see the date stamp is that the style of carving, and the particular "Barling's Make" logo look consistent with a 1920's era pipe. This would also be one of the earliest crossed Barling stem logos I've seen. They only began to stamp the stems in the early 1920's, and the earliest I've seen is from 1923. Given Jon's earlier comment in the first thread, I'm inclined to believe that the FREAK stamp could be a Barling stamp. I'd love to get pictures to post on the Pipedia page if you are willing. PM me to discuss.

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Given Jon's earlier comment in the first thread, I'm inclined to believe that the FREAK stamp could be a Barling stamp.
I think it would be very cool if that was the case,

one of the coolest factory stamps ever!
(Cooke's OGF must go down as the coolest ever!)

:!:
...but,

earlier I was browsing Australian newspapers doing Orlik research (yes Mr. Sablebrush, I want to update the Pipedia Orlik entry, but I am slow, and I want it to be good!), and after exhausting those leads remembered this thread and went off on a tangent, first looking for a Freak Tobacconist :D but only came up with the aforementioned Rawling & Freak (first entry circa 1904), so no more dice, then I typed in "freak pipe" and got a few hits - if the stamp is not a "factory" stamp, then my best guess would be it's from the Land of Oz.
Australians have a wonderful way with language, and a "freak pipe" may have been slang or dialect for a top-drawer example?
There was an article going around in 1928 in a few different newspapers talking about a "straight-grainer" where it was said: "Such a thing is a freak among pipes, and out of 1,000 turned out there may be only one with this peculiar characteristic..."
Here's the clip:

YwEYW02.jpg

It's sorta difficult to do research with all those newspapers, and exhaustingly tiresome, because of many many repeat results and a garbled word search protocol, but it's fun for a while...
...found a pretty neat Barling's advert from 1922:

aov4Itf.jpg


frBRtCj.jpg


 

graydawn

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 7, 2014
164
1
Great posts and research. I'm smoking this pipe with some Cope's Escudo and time traveling to the past.
Richard

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
I'm smoking this pipe with some Cope's Escudo and time traveling to the past.
That sounds about perfect.

:puffy:
Blast from the past:

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/cope-bros-tobacco-works-liverpool-england-image-heavy

:puffy:

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
postimg.cc
While your Sheila is throwing some shrimp on the barbi or making you a Vegimite sandwich, it's pleasant to be smoking your Freak. Nice job on the detective work!

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Sable - Yes! They look exactly like the ones in the catalog you restored! The draughtsman that did those had a great graining technique, the Sporting 254 has true freak grain!
Al - The Aussie origin theory is only a wild guess, Jon Guss has a much more interesting suggestion that it was an actual Barling factory stamp...

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/barlings-additions

 
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