Ben Wade Made in France?

briardan · Mar 3, 2015

I recently acquired a ben wade stunningly gorgeous unsmoked freehand with a unbelivable straight grain and a very nice presentation box. With that being sad, i know most of the history of ben wades. There is one time period thats rather fuzzy, made in france wades. Were these made in the preben hholm

era? I am very interested to find more info if anyone can fill me in. I know charatan and holm produced wades after the leeds factory deceased. If so who produced these. I can assume it was short lived and are probably rare.

fnord · Mar 4, 2015

Can't help you here, B.D. The great Ben Wade label was passed around like a box of Kleenex and a war-prize comfort woman for more than a few years. During the Danish Revolution the style was copycatted by numerous makers and, if you post a few pix, some of the sharper eyes here might take a sighting.
You wrote:
"I can assume it was short lived and are probably rare."
Rare and old doesn't necessarily mean collectible. Most of the best Danish carvers alive today worked for Holm at one time or another. Consequently his Ben Wade Danish burners fetch a higher resale price due to the cachet.
Your French made smoker might not fare as well. However, and I've got ask, is it a good burner?
Fnord

briardan · Mar 4, 2015

I havent smoked it yet. It's appearance is stunning! I've had numerous danish and english wades. This one stands alone in appearance and craftsmanship. So you charatan assumption is probably accurate. It has the look of a charatan with a natural finish, plateau top, and picture perfect straight grain. My phone is past its prime so pics are bad and i cant even post them with this device. I will however, post thhem with my tablet when i get the chance. Thanks guys.

mlyvers · Mar 4, 2015

I guess it is possible that it is a rare pipe. I think all the Free Hand Ben Wades were made in France.. I have two Ben Wades both made in London England. Good luck too u in finding out the info u need sir. None the less I am sure it will be a good smoker for you. Take care.

vlodko · Mar 4, 2015

It would be very interesting to have a look at the picture

mso489 · Mar 4, 2015

Pipe manufacture is an oddly transient industry sometimes. I guess the actually workshop and machinery are relatively moveable, so a specific company can be relocated by labor costs and craft skills. The pipe company Jobey started in France and moved to the U.S. and then back to France; I think it may have even had a spell in England. Same with others recently -- Stanwell, some of Peterson, and so on.

vlodko · Mar 4, 2015

I wouldn't agree that Stanwell Danmark and Stanwell Italy are the same quality

mso489 · Mar 5, 2015

vlodko, I suspect you're right, but I've only owned Italian Stanwells, and they are well-made respectable pipes at better prices, so it could be worse. I too wish they'd stayed in Denmark. I like my Johs and Nordings, and especially my Bari, great Danish pipes.

mso489 · Mar 5, 2015

Double post, a system glitch for a change, I think.

vlodko · Mar 5, 2015

Mr. Lopes wrote that Ben Wade is currently distributed by Cadogan Group. And Cadogan owns some production in France as well. Therefore the discussed Ben Wade might be one of Cadogan products.

briardan · Mar 5, 2015

Did cadogan purchase the rights afer holm? So ballpark early 80s?

anthonyrosenthal74 · Mar 5, 2015

mlyvers said...

I think all the Free Hand Ben Wades were made in France

I actually didn't know there were any french made Ben Wade freehands. I'm not saying there are not any, I'm just saying I've only seen Danish made Ben Wade freehands. Like this one... http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/denmark/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=16527
In fact a quick search of Ben Wade at Smoking Pipes brings up quite a few danish made freehands, and one traditional pot shaped pipe from England.

vlodko · Mar 12, 2015

Did cadogan purchase the rights afer holm? So ballpark early 80s?

I don't have too many confirmations except the book of J.M. Lopez and suggestions of some collectors.
On the other hand pipedia states that Ben Wade belongs today to Duncan.
But anyway there's no other easy explanation of "French Ben Wade" except Cadogan production.

mso489 · Mar 12, 2015

Just being a wag, but maybe pipe companies should send out small expeditionary forces of pipe craftsmen to make models of their pipes in exotic places, so you could have a Hawaiian Dunhill, an Icelandic Big Ben, and a Jamaican Stanwell, so stamped. Just to amaze and confound the pipe buyers. Think of the exalted snobbery that would generate. Oh, you have a Tinsky, but do you have the one he made in Bosnia?

vlodko · Mar 12, 2015

Yes! Every such exotic pipe will be "highly collectable and veeeeeery expensive"! That's brilliant idea! :D

Ben Wade Made in France?

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