Berkley Club Bulldog (Sasieni 2nd)

ssjones · Oct 15, 2017

This one belongs to forum member fnord. He contacted me after spotting the pipe on Ebay and wondered if it was made by Sasieni. It was and I advised him that it looked like good buy. I volunteered to restore should he be successful in the purchase. The pipe was indeed in great shape and I enjoyed restoring this one. The full details are on the Reborn Pipes site:
Reborn Pipes - Berkley Club Restoration
The bowl has a small well near the bottom, which I've never seen before.

After

bluegrassbrian · Oct 15, 2017

I don't much care for bulldogs but that's a good lookin piece of wood.

vokaa · Oct 15, 2017

It looks great, Al! Great work!

dmcmtk · Oct 15, 2017

779 R, yes the Danzey. The R is for...Rustic. I'd say an older pipe, possibly pre-war, but more likely early post-war going by the style of the rustication, and also as Sasieni had consolidated the number of seconds lines it seems by the 1950's. The drilling...don't know what happened there.

ssjones · Oct 15, 2017

That well is curious. It's perfectly centered and aligned with the draft hole, so I believe it was made that way from the factory.

alexnorth · Oct 15, 2017

First time I ever saw that well type drilling aswell! Good looking pipe nonetheless

mawnansmiff · Oct 16, 2017

I can see that well in the bottom of the bowl catching on...more room for baccy : puffy

:
Regards,
Jay.

addamsruspipe · Oct 16, 2017

Bulldogs are one of my favorite shapes and that one is nice.

fnord · Oct 17, 2017

Al:
I value you as a wonderful mod, as a go-to authority on many pipe lines from the U.K and, most importantly, as a friend.
Thank you for always being willing to share your knowledge and, in this case, your excellent restoration skills.
I've adopted Marty Pulver's rule for an ideal smoker: the bowl must comfortably accommodate my thumb and this Rhodesian is the largest pipe I've ever owned from the extended Sasieni family.
Can't wait to get it. Can't wait to smoke it.
Thanks, pal.
Fnord

snagstangl · Oct 17, 2017

I could see making the bottom of the bowl like that to avoid the thinness at that part of the bowl on bulldogs.

newbroom · Oct 17, 2017

The differences between a billiard tobacco chamber and a bulldog chamber are that the bulldog typically offers a more shallow, wider rim opening 'bowl' that is easily cleared after use. (Not so sure about this one.)

The billiard's chamber is typically taller and its walls, of course, more parallel.

Maybe that was made for a mini chamber for a 'desiccant'?

Very nice resto, Al, and a nice looking bulldog. Old wood is the best wood.

jensen · Oct 17, 2017

I am with snagstangl.

ssjones · Oct 17, 2017

You are welcome Jim, I enjoyed working on that one (so much, I bought a Sasieni Windsor in the same shape on Sunday). I'm curious as to how it smokes for you, I'm betting well.
I dont' like some 2nds offerings, as typically the stems are sub-par (The Guildhall pipes for example). Sasieni 2nd line pipes seem to have a first line stem, at least in materials. The button might not be as finely shaped as a Four Dot, but they have the same mouth-feel. I'm curious as to the effects of that well.
I didn't find a lot of Berkley Club examples, but a few had bowl shots. None had that well, so that is even more curious.
This place was the king of Berkley Club pipes.

http://www.vkpipes.com/pipeline/category/sasieni

fnord · Oct 20, 2017

Al:
The Berkley Club arrived today and I'm just finishing my 2nd bowl of Nightcap. As expected, it smokes like a charm, pal, and your restoration was greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Fnord

ssjones · Oct 20, 2017

Good deal!
The Sasieni Windsor Shape 79 that I found came with a cracked shank. I'm sending it off to Norwood's for a band.

jvnshr · Oct 20, 2017

Enjoy it fnord. And great job Al.

I can see that well in the bottom of the bowl catching on...more room for baccy

Or maybe a trap for the moisture.

jpmcwjr · Oct 20, 2017

Important note: That Berkeley, being located in London, is pronounced "Barkley".....
Happiest of smokes to you!

doctorbob · Oct 20, 2017

a pipe can get a step in the bottom of the bowl if it has a tapered chamber and it is reamed with certain reamers. Some of the older reamers that were around when the pipe was made could certainly do this to a pipe.
doc

cosmicfolklore · Oct 20, 2017

Was the metal tube down the draft there before, or did you add that?

ssjones · Oct 20, 2017

I think it was factory, because if it were made with a reamer, it wouldn't have been so uniform. And, the bowl thickness at the top is standard for that shape. I think it was drilled that way from the get-go.
The metal tube is just a simple straw, ala Dunhill. I removed it, but included it back with the pipe. I suspect fnord is using the pipe sans-tube.

Berkley Club Bulldog (Sasieni 2nd)

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