Help me date this Barling TVF King #6279

The only thing I can offer is that it was made in the Post Transition period. Big changes took place beginning in about 1962 IIRC. That was the pre trans to trans period. New ownership while using up stummels and stems that came in the sale. These pipes have some of the markings Barling used in the pre trans period and some of the new. Then you have the post transition period. New owners, new stummels, new stems, no real connection to the "old ways". The T.V.F marking was used in the post trans period I believe. I have a couple of the post trans pipes and they smoke very well in my experience. So, your pipe was probably made after 1965 and that is all I can contribute. Barling stems are my favorite for comfort. I wish Charatan hadn't tried to "double" the comfort.
Mike S.

I agree post transition. I love the blast.
Bob

Yes, post the 1962 Transition. A question for the boffins, Size 6 was EXEXEL, do we know when these pipes began to be marked KING? I see in the 1962 Barling Retailer Catalog, in the Reference Number Chart they are called "Size 6 Kings", so right from the get go in '62?
http://chriskeene.com/62bar6.htm

The distinction between "Transition" and "Post Transition" is so nebulous that I've dropped it. It's more accurate to use Family Era and Corporate Era. Here's why:
Finlay bought the family business in October of 1960, but retained Montague Barling and Williamson-Barling to run it. The family continued to run the business after it was sold for about 20+ months. The markings on the pipes did not change until mid 1962. So a lot of "Pre-Transition" pipes are technically "Transition" pipes because they were made after the sale of the company to Finlay, the so called "Transition" company. People think that they're Pre_trans" pipe because the markings are the same. You have 20+ months of porduction of "Pre-Transition" pipes that are technically bogus if one uses the current "Pre-Trans", "Trans", and "Post-Trans" definition.
In mid 1962 Barling releases it's 150th Anniversary Catalog which shows that the numbering system has changed. We now have a 4 digit numbering system wherein the first digit ranges from 2-6. There are no 4 digit model numbers beginning with a 1. The old "Barling's Make" logo is retained. The family is still running the Business for the new owners at this point, but not for much longer. In June 1962, Williamson-Barling gets the sack. He will later run Charatan. Montague steps down as President shortly thereafter, and Finlay brings in their own management.
Finlay had been partially owned by the Imperial Tobacco Group long before it bought Barling. Imperial had a 49% stake in Finlay with an option to buy the rest of the company at their discretion. This they did in February of 1963. Imperial owned Barling starting in early 1963.
To the extent that there is a "Transition" period, one that exists after the family is gone, it lasts for about 7-8 months. Trying to tag a Barling as "Transition" VS "Post-Transition" is not a 100% possible, any more than trying to Tag a Barling as "Pre-Transition" vs "Transition" is 100% possible. The old definitions were based on incorrect assumptions and are just not an accurate depiction of the actual history. More accurate to say "Family Era" vs "Corporate Era".
All that said, Here's what I can say about your pipe. It was made between late 1962 and 1970 as it was certainly made in one of the two Barling factories. The factories where shut down around 1970 and the work was then outsourced to several other pipemakers, such as Charatan. Judging from the shaping of both the bowl and the stem I'd put this at the earlier end of the range. I have several Barlings from this period and they are uniformly excellent performers. It should smoke like a champ.

Jesse, what about my specific question about the King marking, if the answer is known?

Jesse, what about my specific question about the King marking, if the answer is known?

Click to expand...

Specifically, no. But given the "King" included in the sizing chart, I see no reason to exclude it being used right from the get go.
There's also the question regarding the use of the TVF stamp after the product line was revised. It's been assumed that it was dropped for a period of time, but I've found reason to believe that it continued to be used all along.
A recent eBay auction featured a pipe with a sterling olive with 1961 hallmarks fitted to a pipe with the revised stampings that also has the TVF stamp. Keep in mind that the hallmark only tells you when the sterling was assayed, not when the pipe was made, but it seems unlikely that the cap just hung around for years and years. Most likely is was use in late 1962 or 63. So TVF could have continued to be used, as least some of the time.

Your questions having already been addressed, I will just add that you have a very nice pipe. I love those old big bore English pots. This pipe will let you experience all the nuance of the great Balkan blends. If you like Nightcap's latakia punch, though, best not smoke it in this pipe. A bowl like your 6279's will tame it right down.