Sharing Dad's Pipes and Looking for Info

[Tut]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

My 98-year old Dad died last year, and I gathered all his pipes and things, because the smell and image of his pipe smoking is among some of my strongest memories of him. I wanted to be sure that this is a good place to post some photos of some of his pipes and things, and possibly to get some info on the less common ones (I think a couple are German wine pipes).

 

[alaskanpiper]

Fire away!

 

[Tut]

Cool. I'll wait until daylight this weekend to shoot some photos. Thanks!

 

[americaman]

Tut, just be aware that you may get messages from people asking to buy certain pipes. Make sure you have researched the pipes and the prices they are selling for if you decide to sell. Do not ever feel pressured to sell your father's pipes. Cheers.

 

[mikethompson]

I just posted in your other thread, but to repeat myself, I'm sure we can ID most, if not all, those pipes.

 

[Tut]

Here are the pipes and some accessories. I can provide closeups of anything if someone wants to see more detail. First the wine pipes.

The longer one was made in Czechoslovakia and has the German "Grüss Gott" emblem.

The shorter one has no markings that I can find, and features a scene of a fox making off with a duck.

 

[Tut]

Here's a "Sherlock Holmes" pipe that some owner (pretty sure it wasn't originally my Dad's) had to fix with wire to clamp the ferrule tight. The insignia looks odd, almost like the lower letters (vertical "BG") are reversed. The upper letters look like "H•P&S". I have no idea what the center mark is. UI? CH? Upside down?

 

[Tut]

Now some Grabow and Medico pipes he probably bought over the years at drug stores or possibly the Comer's shop that used to be in Iowa City.



These are interesting; something, Grabow, and Wally Frank:



More Medicos and some very cool ones:

 

[Tut]

Now we get to my favorites. The sterling one was one of his favorites too, as he used it for many years. I gave him The Pipe for xmas one year, being impressed that it was made of the same stuff used in rockets. I'm not sure about the white one.

 

[chilllucky]

That's a pretty impressive collection. I'll let others handle ID and value, but I will say most of the smokers of that generation I knew rarely had more than a couple of pipes at a time. Your father was a connoisseur!

 

[Tut]

Finally, just the tobacco, cleaners, tools, a lighter, and leftover pieces.



Note circular item in upper-left corner of the box. A wind guard with spring-loaded prongs. I don't remember what the cork item is for.

 

[mso489]

Tut, that's an admirable pipe man's legacy. I'd hang on to all of it as heirlooms. I don't think anything from selling the pipes would be as rewarding as having them on hand. It's an interesting and varied group. The German and Czech pipes would be handsome on the wall, the that's a fine set of Dr. Grabow and Medico that are great smokers. My dad owned and smoked one pipe at a time, burnt them out, and bought a new one, always smoking Granger. He did leave me his ten-pipe round rack with amber tobacco jar in the middle he'd inherited from his dad, so that is a prized possession.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Cool collection. The cork goes in an ashtray, its to knock your pipe against to ash so as to not ding the pipe rim on something hard.

The grabows and medicos are cheap but reliable burners. No idea about the more elaborate ones, they are quite obscure. Very neat though!

 

[seldom]

That "Sherlock Holmes" pipe appears to be a gourd calabash. Are there any other marks in the metal? The hallmarks may be small but if it is silver it may well have them. These can provide a year of manufacture. That pipe could be rather old.

 

[Tut]

Cool collection. The cork goes in an ashtray, its to knock your pipe against to ash so as to not ding the pipe rim on something hard.

Ah, right! I knew I'd seen one elsewhere before. He had a brown glass ashtray that had one of those fixed in the center. This must be an extra he had when the other one got too grungy.

 

[Tut]

That "Sherlock Holmes" pipe appears to be a gourd calabash. Are there any other marks in the metal? The hallmarks may be small but if it is silver it may well have them. These can provide a year of manufacture. That pipe could be rather old.

I've look closely everywhere on it, and those are the only markings I can find. All the metal pieces appear to be brass. The brass flange around the rim of the bowl has many dents from being knocked against a hard heel.

 

[Tut]

So about the wine pipes, which are the only ones I'd want to sell; is there a market for those? Are they desired by some? I see only a handful on eBay in the $30-80 range.

 

[alaskanpiper]

So about the wine pipes, which are the only ones I'd want to sell; is there a market for those? Are they desired by some? I see only a handful on eBay in the $30-80 range.

They are pretty much wall art, not many people smoke them these days, but some might. Tyroleans are a bit of a thing of the past but I’m sure some people still fire them up. Ebay would be your best bet for a quick sale. No idea on value.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Ah, right! I knew I'd seen one elsewhere before. He had a brown glass ashtray that had one of those fixed in the center. This must be an extra he had when the other one got too grungy.

Most pipe smokers will have a couple kicking around in case they need them or get a new ashtray. They’re cheap, but useful for some, although I never use mine, the pick on the czech tool takes care of it.

Given your dads cheaper pipes and over the counter tobacco preferences im sure he used the hell out of them.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Now some Grabow and Medico pipes he probably bought over the years at drug stores or possibly the Comer's shop that used to be in Iowa City.

View attachment 20995

These are interesting; something, Grabow, and Wally Frank:

View attachment 20996

More Medicos and some very cool ones:

View attachment 20997

The “something” is probably a kaywoodie, older one too with a patent number. That script writing says “Ajustomatic” which was a Kaywoodie stem mount system that allowed the stem to be turned into the correct position after being tightened in the event that the screw in stem mount became slightly off kilter which was not uncommon. Very similar to grabows, cheap but reliable pipes. Used to be very prominent in the US and are still made today.