Captain Black Briar Pipe

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Dec 3, 2021
4,792
40,295
Pennsylvania & New York

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,213
Orlik was the first to use the Captain Black name in the tobacco world; they introduced their Captain Black pipe in the UK no later than 1922. Lane in its 1972 US trademark filing claimed that their first use of the name in commerce was in 1939, but from what I can tell they introduced Captain Black pipe tobacco regionally in late 1972, and nationally in January of 1973.

I’m not sure how Lane chose the name (which Orlik had not bothered to trademark in the US) but the later marketing relationship between the two companies was a natural.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,675
29,392
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Fine pipes. Ironically the first one I saw in the wild was my friends grandfathers who had a big pipe collection. In fact he gave me a really nice Peterson which I never smoked because after the joy of new pipe wore off the too good to be true kicked in and I asked him where he got it... I insisted he should keep it but he had to show me the collection. One of them was a Captain Black pipe. The irony was that about half of the other pipes smelled of captain black. The Captain Black smelled weird and perfume like but really nice too. Otherwise I would have forgotten what brand it was. He had about 12 pipes and I remember the Peterson (at the time that was what people told me was the best pipe you could buy) and the Captain Black. I know it would be a different experience to see those pipes now and know who those makers are.
But the Captain Black pipe seemed as nice as the others. And I've seen a few over the years usually owned by Captain Black smokers. And one guy who felt obligated to smoke Captain Black in that pipe, despite knowing how stupid that concept is.
 

eljimmy

Lifer
Jan 3, 2021
1,304
5,648
Los Angeles, California
Fine pipes. Ironically the first one I saw in the wild was my friends grandfathers who had a big pipe collection. In fact he gave me a really nice Peterson which I never smoked because after the joy of new pipe wore off the too good to be true kicked in and I asked him where he got it... I insisted he should keep it but he had to show me the collection. One of them was a Captain Black pipe. The irony was that about half of the other pipes smelled of captain black. The Captain Black smelled weird and perfume like but really nice too. Otherwise I would have forgotten what brand it was. He had about 12 pipes and I remember the Peterson (at the time that was what people told me was the best pipe you could buy) and the Captain Black. I know it would be a different experience to see those pipes now and know who those makers are.
But the Captain Black pipe seemed as nice as the others. And I've seen a few over the years usually owned by Captain Black smokers. And one guy who felt obligated to smoke Captain Black in that pipe, despite knowing how stupid that concept is.
Cool story man. I'm sure those were made for CB smokers in the beginning. I'm guessing like a promotional item. I think I'm going to get it. Checking it out this week.
 

romaso

Lifer
Dec 29, 2010
1,702
6,446
Pacific NW
I still have about half a dozen I got in the 1990's. They used to offer 3 shapes in each line: a straight billiard, a bent billiard, and a third which would vary. I'd get the billiards in pairs (bent & straight). To the OP, that's a nice straight Helmsman, one of my favorite lines. The Galleon was stained dark brown and the Sloop was a black sandblast (going from memory now). There were a couple other lines, I've still got them somewhere.