Who Owns Parker Pipes Today?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

barepipe

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 29, 2017
134
0
I am researching the history of Parker.
I know that it merged with Hardcastle in 1967 and that the brand was revived in 1991.
1. When did Hardcastle-Parker cease production

2. Who owns the revived post-1991 brand

3. Where are the pipes made today?

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
No answers to your questions, but I'll be interested. I have a Parker cherrywood/poker briar.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
I own two Parkers, bought from baskets in London a year ago. (I know that's not the answer you want). But I'd add that it was widely reported in London that Parkers were often Dunhills that didn't make the grade.
What research have you done?

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I disbelieve the stories about Hardcastle, Parker, or Britannia pipes being Dunhill seconds for various reasons, the most conspicuous being that if you examine those less expensive pipes, they do not resemble the Dunhill shapes, or anything like them. For comparison, look at Savinelli shapes and compare Sav-owned Rossi brand pipes, and you will see that the basic shapes are the same. I think to maintain their extravagant pricing, the Dunhill brand has been willing to discard, or perhaps in most cases simply reject or completely re-carve any briar that proves unsuitable. And if re-carved, I suspect the carving is done by the "lesser" factory lines, not the Dunhill pipe factory. It is not improbable that Dunhill pipe stummels are carved in Italy (or France?) along with so many other brands. But pipe shop staffs have always loved to hint that any English pipe is a Dunhill second, playing to pipe customer daydreams.

 

barepipe

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 29, 2017
134
0
Dunhill did start Parker as a second’s line in 1923. Parker certainly played up the association whenever they could. But in reality Parker developed its own identity and brand. There was certainly a close relationship with Dunhill into the early 50’s but not all Parker’s were Dunhill failings, they had their own shapes and their own patents. It should also be noted that most Dunhill failings would have been pulled from their production early in the process so it would not have been treated as a Dunhill, and it is debatable how many Parker’s came from the failings line
So yes there were some Dunhill seconds in the Parker line, but to view Parker a just a Dunhill second is to diminish its contribution and value. Parker made excellent quality pipes at least prior to 67 (I do not know anything about the current current quality of the product) they innovated independently from Dunhill and developed their own identity. It is a brand that stood on its own feet and that should be valued on its own merits.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I bought my Parker about five years ago, and I will report it is a sturdy little smoker. I don't like its draw quite as well as Savinelli or Stanwell, and I had some time when I kept dragging black stain out of the shank with a pipe cleaner, but essentially, it has been a good little factory pipe and I'm always glad to light it up.

 

barepipe

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 29, 2017
134
0
That is good to know, especially given that the price point for a modern Parker is quite affordable. In fact you can also pick them up fairly cheaply on the estate market.

 
May 8, 2017
1,593
1,627
Sugar Grove, IL, USA
Regarding the question of who currently owns Parker, my friend H. Lee Murphy writes this in his article entitled “DUNHILL REBORN:THE WHITE SPOT IS POISED FOR A 2018 COMEBACK IN THE US” in the April 2018 edition of NASPC’s The Pipe Collector magazine:
” Many Americans don’t know it, but Dunhill still markets Parker and Charatan branded pipes. Of the Parkers, most are made by other pipe makers for Dunhill, while some of the Charatans are still made in the London factory. Both brands are marketed today largely in Britain, with a few going to Spain and none to the U.S.”

 
  • Like
Reactions: wulfheard

jar885

Lurker
Jan 8, 2017
3
0
Do any of you know if there was a line of Parker's called "Earl"? I recently picked one up. It has no date code on it at all... simply stamped with "Made in London" over "England".
I appreciate your knowledge and any information...

 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
36,058
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
@ssjones, nothing more, nothing less,Thats a very nice classic lovat,seems to be a very practical and multipurpose smoking machine, medium size chamber? Sometimes it happens Lovat models come rather with capacious chamber sizes, especially some of those from French manufacturers,

 
Status
Not open for further replies.