Who Knows This Maker?
- Thread starter olewaylon
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Made in the USA. It also appears that you may have one of his last pipes.
Wathen
Jump to: navigation, search
Kerry S. Wathen was a pipemaker who worked for a small pipe shop in south Kansas City called "The Briar Patch" in the 1970's. Tending to larger sized pipes his centerpiece was a huge briar calabash shape. When the Briar Patch closed he probably moved to Iowa where his pipes were available at David's Briar Shop in Des Moines (ca. 1977 - 1980/81).
Wathen 01.jpg
Wathen 02.jpg
Wathen2.jpg
Wathen 03.jpg
Wathen was having some problems with his hands at that time and was finally forced to give up his talented carving.
He usually inscribed his pipes with his name and two digits for the year of production like "Wathen '75". The best pieces were named "Reflection".
Kerry S. Wathen, Sr. passed away on April 1, 1985 in his hometown of Topeka, Kansas. (Submitted by William J. Franqui Sr., Kerry S. Wathen's brother-in-law).
Wathen
Jump to: navigation, search
Kerry S. Wathen was a pipemaker who worked for a small pipe shop in south Kansas City called "The Briar Patch" in the 1970's. Tending to larger sized pipes his centerpiece was a huge briar calabash shape. When the Briar Patch closed he probably moved to Iowa where his pipes were available at David's Briar Shop in Des Moines (ca. 1977 - 1980/81).
Wathen 01.jpg
Wathen 02.jpg
Wathen2.jpg
Wathen 03.jpg
Wathen was having some problems with his hands at that time and was finally forced to give up his talented carving.
He usually inscribed his pipes with his name and two digits for the year of production like "Wathen '75". The best pieces were named "Reflection".
Kerry S. Wathen, Sr. passed away on April 1, 1985 in his hometown of Topeka, Kansas. (Submitted by William J. Franqui Sr., Kerry S. Wathen's brother-in-law).
You have a couple of beautiful pipes there. Sounds like they're historically significant as well. Enjoy them.
:
Dovetailing on what papipeguy posted above, according to the citation in Jose Manuel Lopes' book titled "Pipes - Artisans and Trademarks" Wathen is a, "North American brand of the artisan Kerry S. Wathen. In the 1970s, he produced free form (sic) and exotic pipes which he sold to the Tinder Box chain, and also worked for the tobacconist's (sic) Briar Patch, Kansas City. Stamp "Wathen"."
Hey, I just joined this group after seeing your post. Kerry Wathen was a Kansas City pipe carver.
I have 8 or 10 of his pipes. He was close friends with Lyn Byer who owns Cigar & Tabac in Overland Park, a suburb of KC.
He died a number of years ago under questionable circumstances. I'd be glad to talk to you about it more. I'll post some pictures of mine!
I have 8 or 10 of his pipes. He was close friends with Lyn Byer who owns Cigar & Tabac in Overland Park, a suburb of KC.
He died a number of years ago under questionable circumstances. I'd be glad to talk to you about it more. I'll post some pictures of mine!
- Status