Ebay Barling VINTAGE Canadian 4575... post transition??

Imperial Tobacco absorbed Finlay in February of 1963. Barling pipes with the nomenclature and model numbers associated with the "Transition" and "Post Transition" eras made their appearance in November of 1962. So for the collector, there really isn't much of a difference between transition and post transition. I prefer to use "family era" or "post family" as it's actually a more accurate designation.

Your pipe is post family. Many of the pipes made after the family stepped down are every bit as good as the late family era product. Hopefully your purchase will prove to be a stellar deal.
Congratulations!

A true classic! Although I’m new to the hobby, it seems the classic 60’s shapes are what I most associate with pipe smoking. The cars weren’t too bad looking back then either. I just picked myself up a new Chacom Salsa 297, and I’m really hoping it smokes as good as it looks. Congrats rx2man on your latest acquisition, it’s so gorgeous it makes me want to go smoke a bowl right now.
P.S. Sablebrush sure knows his stuff, a true historian. Gentlemen of his caliber are a fabulous resource for newcomers like me.
Dot

I have just become interested in Barling pipes. Having checked into pipepedia.org, I am totally confused.
I'm sure I want a 'family' era pipe, but finding one is a bit of a challenge. Especially in a bent.
The ones posted on fleabay are vague and when I contact some sellers, they have no clue. I'm hoping that at the Chicago show I may find something there.

@ Allan
When in doubt about ANYTHING on eBay, don't buy. Always ask sellers for clarification. The honest ones will be happy to help.
Here are a few identifiers for a family era, or Pre-Transition Barling pipe:
Logo: Arched BARLING"S over MAKE in block lettering for all grades except the Guinea Grain grading. The Guinea Grain grading has a script logo consisting of the word "Barling's". Note the apostrophe and the letter "s". Later pipes have a script logo without the apostrophe and the letter "s".
Model numbers: On many older Barling pipes, on Straight Grains, or special orders there is no model number. If the pipe was intended for the English or European market it had a four digit model number that began with a "1". If the pipe was intended to sell in the US it had an alternate numbering system set up by Barling's American distributor, Nichols. These Nichols numbers consist of one, two, or three digits and sometimes also include a letter, such as an "M" for meerschaum lined, or an "F" for fantail stem. Occasionally you may find someone using the term "Pre-Nichols" to describe the English numbering system. That term is bullshit. The two numbering systems existed side by side.
Size nomenclature: Prior to 1940, Barling produced bowls in 3 sizes, small, medium, and large. Sometime around 1940, Barling expanded its range of sizes to include the following: SS, S, S-M, L, EL, EXEL, and EXEXEL. Occasionally you will hear someone claim that they have a pipe with these size markings from an earlier period. They don't. The may have a Frankenpipe, one where an older sterling band has been added to a later pipe. I've seen several of those kluges.
Other nomenclature Pipes made between 1936 and 1950 may have a "reg'd" number imprinted on the underside of the stem. That is a patent number for Barling's stem and bit design.

Sometimes the pipes have MADE IN ENGLAND. stamped on the shank. Sometimes there is no period after the word ENGLAND. There is NO SIGNIFICANCE to the presence or absence of the period. Period.

TVF is a minor grading stamp. It means "The Very Finest"
That covers most of it.
I also consider the last of the BARLING"S MAKE pipes, those made in 1962 which have the new model numbering system that was released in 1962 to be no different than the generally accepted Pre_Transition pipes in terms of quality. The only difference between them and hundreds, or possibly thousands of late production accepted Pre-Transition pipes is the model stamp.
After the BARLING"S MAKE stamp got dropped in late 1962, things got a bit murkier. However, Barling produced excellent pipes in all eras.

Jesse, the post family era numbers finally made sense to me the other night, very obvious really, a size number, followed by a two digit shape number, followed by a stem type code. The 1962 catalog lists 20 shapes, the interesting thing is the Lovat and the Liverpool appear to be the same stummel, but with different stems. From what I've seen, from hallmarked examples from the mid sixties, the 7 stem code indicated an army mount. Did Doug get a hold of you? It was his listing that led to my insight, as I say, a fairly obvious one. Of course, it doesn't account for some pipes having both the four digit numbers and the old sizing marks, or the frequent use of the T.V.F. stamp.
More generally pipers, the post family pipes from the '60's are excellent smokers, or at least the ones I have are.
Dave