If I understand Loring correctly 0363 would represent a Group 3, Churchwarden stem, Billiard.
I think that the R marking your are referring to is for older pipes (1920's to 1970's). Whereas the 4R we see here means Group 4 Root Briar.
Im sure someone with more knowledge will chime in, It looks like a nice pipe. But the nomenclature is odd.
I agree,the nomenclature is odd and it doesnt look like a fishtail.
Loring mentions whilst talking about a 0413 billiard
John C Loring
Apr 21, 2000, 10:00:00 AM
to
Question:> > I understand this, but then fail to get why my 1976 root briar
is
> size/shape
> > coded 0413. It's a billiard, about group 3.
Response: > The 0413 using the older 413 shape number for a group 4 (04)
taper bit (1)
> Billiard (3).
Actually, according to David Webb of Dunhill in 1995, from '76 to late '78
bowls were graded "large and small bowls within a group size" with a 4digit
shape number beginning with a "0" indicating 'small' "therefore, pipes had
either a 3 digit code of [for example] 313 or a 4 digit code of 0313 (being
slightly smaller)". However, noting that Webb's letter is two decades after
the fact, several months ago I came to the tentative conclusion that his
explanation _may_ not be exactly correct.
As I recall several months ago I dealt with a 4 digit pipe of this period
beginning with "0" that was clearly at least one if not two group sizes
larger then the numbers would otherwise indicate: i.e. not a size difference
within a group size but outside the group size. Further, I was able to also
establish that the standard dunhill inventory line in effect when the pipe
in question was made did not include a large group size model for the
particular bowl/bit shape I was looking at. Then thinking about it, I noted
that while 4 digit shape numbered pipes beginning with "0" are not uncommon
for the period then too they are not so common as one would expect if
dunhill at the time was routinely grading "large and small bowls within a
group size" and also asked myself why, from a commercial point of view,
dunhill would go to all that effort anyway given that there was no pricing
differential between large and small bowls within a group size.
Taking all of the above into account I tentatively concluded that a
beginning "0" might rather indicate that while in terms of the established
size/shape/bit line of pipes then being generally offered by dunhill, the
pipe was closest to that indicated by the last three digits, the "0"
indicated that it was in fact in someway, most likely size, outside the
generally offered dunhill line and should be specially treated for stocking
and/or pricing purposes.
I am in no way an expert and hope that someone in the know will put us right so I can learn
pipedia.org
rebornpipes.com
groups.google.com
