What Did Your Fathers and Grandfathers Smoke?

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sittingbear

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2015
661
3,128
Olympia, WA
I'm sure this has been discussed a number of times already, but I am unable to find anything on it so please forgive me if I'm beating a dead horse.
I've always been interested in what people smoked in past generations. When people tell me their father or grandfather smoked a pipe back in the "good ol' days," I always ask them if they knew what blend they smoked. I don't know why; maybe it's just the classicist in me doing his research. (BTW, the most common responses I receive are "Cherry" and "I have no idea.") However, with Nanny McFDA's regulations looming large and the curtailing of choices to those prior to 2007, the question has been on my mind a bit more lately, so I pose the question to you, brothers and sisters of the briar!
What blends did your fathers/grandfathers/grandmothers/uncles/whomever smoke? I'm sure it was mostly what was available at the local drug store, but I'm looking for more info than that. Do you remember if it was an aromatic? Lat-heavy blend? Do you recall seeing Prince Albert sitting on the coffee table next to his chair? Did their house smell of vanilla?
Please share your memories!

 
Jun 4, 2014
1,134
1
My grandfather smoked mostly Prince Albert with the occasional tin of Sir Walter Raleigh. Still have a few of his empty PA tins.

 

coda

Lurker
Jan 25, 2015
29
0
My great-grandfather smoked Half and Half. Both of my grandfathers smoked a pipe at some point: one smoked a vanilla cherry blend, and the other smoked either Granger, Half and Half, or Middleton's Cherry, depending...

 

bryguysc

Can't Leave
Feb 4, 2015
355
20
Mostly old Sir Walter Raleigh cans and some Prince Albert cans around my grandad's old shop. I never saw him with a pipe, so I guess it was my great-grandad.

 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,609
34
Burlington WI
My grandpa smoked Kentucky Club Aromatic. He had many pipes, mostly Grabows and 1 nice Meerschaum, but only smoked Kentucky club.

 

leacha

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 19, 2013
939
8
Colorado
My father smoked Paul Mall cigs.
My grandfather (mother side) didn't smoke. But out of his seven kids my mother was the only one who didn't smoke. The rest smoked cigs except for my Uncle who smoked Walnut.
My grandfather (father side) smoked Edgeworth. His five children smoked cigs.

 

tbradsim1

Lifer
Jan 14, 2012
9,093
11,009
Southwest Louisiana
My Grandfather smoked Bull Durham in the little sacks with the string, I wanted to so Badly to be able to pull the string on the little bag with my teeth like him. My Father smoked Camels, we had an Uncle who was a cig Bum and Dad had a pack of Between The Ax cigs just for him, they were super,super potent and he only bummed a couple from my Dad. He took his bumming elsewhere. :laughat:

 

cfreud

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 1, 2014
256
284
Grandpa smoked basket pipes and Amphora. (Not exactly my taste, but to each his own.) Pop mercifully turned toward English/oriental/latakia style tobaccos (Dunhill 15300 rings a bell), and liked Dunhills and Barlings. I continue said tradition and have expanded on both the collection of tobacco and what I consider "our" pipes.

 

ray47

Lifer
Jul 10, 2015
2,451
5,610
Dalzell, South Carolina
I was told that back in the 40's & 50's my great grandfather smoked tins of Prince Albert and only that blend. My uncle smoked Half & Half. They were the only pipe smokers in the family, other then me of course.

 

framitz

Can't Leave
Oct 25, 2013
314
0
My father smoked non filter lucky strikes and my grandfather smoked regents. My uncle smoked everything available after ww 2 from drug stores to local pipe shops mostly all the new stuff from Flying Dutchman Haines blend amphora but in nice pipes charatans du hills and castellos. I inherit item all. Shel

 

tinsel

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 23, 2015
531
7
My parents are both cigarette smokers.
My grandfather on my mother's side told me once that he smoked cigarettes as a very young man but gave them up in his early 20's. The first time he ever saw me with a pipe, he said "I tried smoking a pipe once, but it burned my tongue and I didn't like it" :rofl:
My Grandfather on my dad's side was a cigarette smoker. My dad's stepfather either smoked cigs or used dip my whole life, but when he saw me with a pipe the first time he mentioned that he smoked a pipe for many years. He apparently liked Prince Albert or Half&Half in his pipe :)

 

sittingbear

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2015
661
3,128
Olympia, WA
I guess I could respond to my own question, huh? ;) No one in my family smoked a pipe, as far as I know, so I didn't bother, but since the category can include cigs, etc., here's my two cents...
My grandpa (mom's side) smoked the occasional White Owl cigar we would get him for father's day at the local store. I used to love to chew on the plastic tips and taste the tobacco flabor (after he had thoroughly washed it, of course!). He also taught me how to make a corn cob pipe. Everyone else smoked cigarettes.

 

phil67

Lifer
Dec 14, 2013
2,052
7
When I was a child I remember my great uncle and grandfather smoking a pipe (early 50's) and I loved the smell. Not really sure what tobacco it was, but obviously some OTC such as PA, CH or Granger. Whatever tobacco it was I do remember one thing... the pipe wasn't made of glass. :wink:

 
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schaum

Might Stick Around
Aug 8, 2014
79
0
Dad smoked Prince Albert and Half & Half most of the time. I remember him hand rolling Top tobacco into cigarettes from the big yellow tub, and on occasion would smoke it in a pipe,,,,he only had three.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
Gramps usually smoked Days 'o Work, cut off with a pocket knife and rubbed out in his hands. Dad smoked a pipe once in awhile but it wasn't something he seemed to care much about...he smoked mostly camels....

Several times, in my youth, I would buy a cheap pipe and some tobacco or another and try to smoke, but I always gave up with a quickness. I tried the typical stuff sold on every corner...and still have trouble with half and half. I won't even try Borkum Riff or Middleton's Cherry Blend. (I'll probably be singing their praises next week)

 
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