James Upshall Pipes - A Discussion

[fabioptrn]

Thank you. Very well, they are from the early years. Unfortunately in Italy there are not many Upshall of your period (if I'm not mistaken all without the words "FH" and the number of size).

When you have time, I would also like to ask you about things about Charatan and Willmer.

 

[fabioptrn]

http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/17733/26220386_2018573978432248_3917779480495469038_o-450x600.jpg
My new James Upshall (ungraded) unsmoked.

 

[kenbarnes]

My new James Upshall (ungraded) unsmoked.

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That is a lovely early one and with nice grain. Were you able to find out where these ungraded Upshalls came from?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here it is:

 

[fabioptrn]

Sorry for my inability to upload photos.

I could not understand the origin of ungradeds: the first Upshall billiard ungraded I bought in a shop of in my city, Turin; while the other I bought it from a friend of Florence, but he is old and does not remember where he bought it.

 

[fabioptrn]

Another vintage Upshall P added to my pipes. I do not like to buy pipes already smoked, but this was smoked only once (or in any case very very little) and it was at an affordable price, so I decided to take it for the affection I have towards this brand. The shape is very similar to a red Upshall ungraded that I posted above, the ring grain looks very nice on the left side, while the flame is lost a little on the front. The briar is still perfect, without black points or micro-cracks, as the old Upshall wanted. The marks on the shank and on the stem seem to be printed, so as Ken says, I believe it was before 1983. The "James Upshall" trademark is printed with a slight imprecision on the right side.

I'm thrilled to have added this piece of history, really exciting.

 

[ssjones]

fabioptrn, it looks like you are becoming the premier JU collector of the forum, very nice!

 

[fabioptrn]

ahahahahahah, I'm just an amateur. I have only four pipes from the Barnes-Jones Era, and I am very happy to have pipes from the old english tradition. But I think there are too few to be called "collector".

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Who was it that said "If you own 1 pipe you're a pipe smoker, if you own 2 pipes you're a pipe collector"?
Thanks for posting those pics Fabio..very nice.

 

[fabioptrn]

Thanks, all thanks to Barry and Ken for these pipes. I'm happy to have them and I hope to have more in the future, maybe even Charatan of their time.

 

[kenbarnes]

Yes Fabio, a really nice P grade from pre 1983 era.

The "James Upshall" trademark is printed with a slight imprecision on the right side

The slight imprecision is one of the indicators that it was hand pressed-stamped in the original way.

There is such an art to hand stamping. This one was done by hand rather than stamped on a machine (still not engraved). I think we got the machine in 1982, which was more accurate with little or no imprecision! I think I bought the old stamping machine in 1982 from the Sasieni factory.Then we switched to engraving but we still used the stamping machine for the reverse side of Upshalls i.e. Tilshead England Made by Hand, Astley Pipes and other 'own brand' pieces.

Here is a photo of an old photo of me at a younger age stamping a pipe in 1984. Some 34 years ago! In the back ground you can see the new engraving machine that we bought.

 

[orlandofurioso]

What a great photo Ken, I love the old machines.

So many JU pipes here, what a treat this is.
Cheers and greetings to you all,
Roland

 

[fabioptrn]

Thanks Ken for all these details. It is wonderful to hear from your voice the things that happened in your laboratory. What I regret is that this tradition was lost after Barry Jones retired. It would be very nice to write an article (or a book!?) about your experiences between old Charatan and your creation and growth of Upshall. So it would all be fixed in the memory of us passionate and no one will forget your tradition of carvers.
Ps. I was not complaining about the imprecise stamping, but I wanted to mention it because maybe it could be of help (as it happened!) to bring memories.

 

[kenbarnes]

Thank you for your kind words Fabio. I am writing a 'Pipe-makers Log' which is more of a diary, as and when I recall things that I have experienced along the way.

I have also started to make a few pipes again, not many just a few pieces for fun and I am enjoying the challenge and believe me it is a challenge!

 

[sablebrush52]

I have also started to make a few pipes again, not many just a few pieces for fun and I am enjoying the challenge and believe me it is a challenge!

Pictures! Pictures!

 

[fabioptrn]

What a beautiful thing! I hope that the diary, if it is not something absolutely personal, can be published one day for all lovers of your style. It's a nice thing you're doing pipes, after leaving Upshall you did not make any more pipes?

 

[kenbarnes]

Pictures! Pictures!

I am going to the workshop on Monday and spending a couple of days there. Pictures will be possibly Wednesday, though not finished pipes, 'merely' turned and fitted with rod vulcanite-roughly shaped and filed.

 

[fishingandpipes]

Sign me up. I'm interested to see what you make!

 

[orlandofurioso]

Hi Ken,
Sign me up too, also for your diary once published
Cheers,
Roland

 

[tfdickson]

Hi all, thanks to everyone and especially Ken for this terrific thread. I have been a fan of Upshall pipes for nearly 20 years and thought I’d share a favorite from my collection. I bought it unsmoked about 16 years ago and the seller told me it came from a batch of 100 pipes for a pipe shop in Paris. Apparently it is number 6 of 100.
Best,
Ted
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http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/10985/c31520b4-fe97-4602-8e84-2e86053e5d6c-449x600.jpg
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