Ken System Bulldog Estate Pipe

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will46r

Might Stick Around
Mar 6, 2015
57
0
Hi y'all, new pipe smoker from Alabama. Have a pipe ID question, figure posting picture and asking here would be correct, if I'm wrong please move the thread or tell me where to put it :D Wife's grandmother bought me some estate pipes from a flea market, they all look to have been just restored before whatever caused them to wind up at a flea market. One pipe I couldn't find much info about was this (from what my research shows) to be a Ken System. Red lucite stem, "Ken PATAPLD" on the left side, "SB" on the right and "Ken" on the mouthpiece. Any info y'all could share would be appreciated.
Enough babble, here's the pictures:





 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
That's a neat old pipe. The Ken System was invented by Otto Turinsky. Go to this page and find KEN and then click on the "description here" link.
http://www.pipephil.eu/logos/en/logo-k1.html
More info here:
http://pipedia.org/wiki/KEN

 

xrundog

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 23, 2014
737
1
Ames, IA
Pipedia says Kens had Lucite stems. Did Lucite exist in the 40s? Seems like it must be a Bakelite stem. Still a form of plastic, but a heavier denser one. It's an interesting curiosity!

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
I believe that Lucite was invented by DuPont in 1931 so the stem could be made of that material. The KEN system was patent applied for in 1939.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,087
6,394
Florida
I would imagine that maintenance is a real chore with that baby. I looked at the internal design and it IS quite complex. Part # 26 looks like it is restrictive. Certainly a collectible if not a regular smoker.

 

will46r

Might Stick Around
Mar 6, 2015
57
0
A couple pictures of what's under the stem.


I'm afraid to take it down further than that... anyone have an idea of the value of this pipe? I'm thinking about catch and release on this so it'll go to someone that would appreciate it more.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
Will46r, Welcome to the forums. I have a couple of these on my list to restore. You have one of the early Ken pipes. I am not sure that there are really "late" Ken pipes, as the company may have been short-lived. In any case, these are neat old "gadget" pipes.
You have broken the pipe down as far as you need to or probably should do. If the draw seems restricted, you can remove the aluminum bell (just do not pitch it). If I were you, I would give it some trial smokes before turning loose of it. These pipes fetch hardly enough money to make selling worthwhile, but it may prove a good smoker and conversation piece.

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
You are quite welcome. I know from the :wink: that your statement about the pipe cleaner test was tongue-in-cheek, but I will say that one of the things that nudged me to pick up a couple of these little oddities is the fact that the stem/shank design allows one to remove the stem for cleaning right after (or even during) a smoke. I would say that that design feature makes Kens great pocket pipes, but I imagine the moisture and residue in the bell could spill out and ruin a shirt in short order.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,070
Maryland
postimg.cc
That is an interesting design!
Ken02.jpg


 

rx2man

Part of the Furniture Now
May 25, 2012
590
11
I know will46r from Puff and Cigarbums. He asked me about the pipe but I had never heard of it and before I could tell him he found the forums by himself. He told me he was looking to move the pipe so a trade was worked out and I am going to be the happy owner of a rather interesting pipe. I actually found another on ebay for cheap. This one I really like the looks of. The ebay one not so much so I will smoke the ebay one. Attached are pics of the ebay pickup.
_57-1-600x450.jpg

_57-2-600x450.jpg


 

rx2man

Part of the Furniture Now
May 25, 2012
590
11
Don't know, you know as much as I do at this point. Just bought it.

 

rx2man

Part of the Furniture Now
May 25, 2012
590
11
I see what you see as well but I just bought it off ebay and its going to be a few days before it gets here, guess we'll see if it comes with both "bells".

 
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