I think that there are likely more German pipes from pre-WWII than we are aware of. Instead, I think what we observe is a lack of historical documentation assigning brands to companies, company history in general, and the ability to conclusively date these pipes. Not all manufacturers created pipes with an identifiable brand: the ubiquitous "Bruyere Garantie" is a perfect example.
"In 1904, the existing production was expanded to include the manufacture of shag pipes made from
briar wood sourced from France and Italy (only the tubers of the tree heather, which develop between the roots and the trunk, are used). For this purpose,
specialists were brought in from France, and shag pipe production began in the old mill. Until 1909, the company only hired employees for C. S. Reich; the company roll lists 100 workers up to that point. In 1910, several changes took place within the company. On the one hand, a large new pipe factory was built parallel to what was then Sachsenstraße, where shag pipe production was housed, and this factory was chosen and depicted in 1921 as the motif on one of the emergency banknotes for the market town of Schweina. On the other hand, senior partner Carl Sebastian Reich died in November 1910 after a long illness at the age of 61. The business passed to his sons, Richard (born 1871) and Friedrich (born 1873) Reich, who had long held leading positions, especially with Richard Reich. The so-called "horn and German pipe" was increasingly pushed out of fashion by the easier handling of the shag pipe. Pipe production flourished, and more and more workers were needed. In 1911, the C.S. Reich company hired 40 men and, for the first time, 15 women. These workers were employed in mending, varnishing, sorting, and packaging, but later also worked at the vending machines.
Development continued until the First World War, which, however, brought about another change. The import of briar wood from the Mediterranean was no longer possible. Other raw materials had to be found. Walnut and red beech were therefore processed as substitutes. The end of the war did not bring the hoped-for improvement; quite the opposite. Inflation and the massive penetration of foreign pipes into the German market made conditions more difficult for the German pipe industry. A company as large as C.S. Reich looked for other areas of activity to counteract the sales difficulties in the pipe industry. In 1928, a new branch of industry was introduced in Schweina: the production of folding rules, spirit levels, and other wooden goods, followed in 1932 by the production of planes and wood tools Naturally, additional administrative and factory buildings were also constructed, a 400 hp steam engine with a direct current generator was installed to generate power and light, and meadows and land in the Luthergrund area were purchased to build a substantial sawmill. C.S. Reich became one of the three largest employers in Schweina. In the mid-1930s, with the deaths of Richard Reich on February 1, 1935, and his brother Friedrich Reich on March 27, 1936, another generational change occurred. The general partnership had already been converted into a stock corporation, which in turn was then converted into a limited partnership. The personally liable partners were Robert Hergert and Karl Reich, and the limited partners were Martha Hergert and Fritz. Reich. The politics of these years helped the German pipe business to flourish again. On June 7, 1937,
the C. S. Reich company celebrated its 50th anniversary with its employees, and in the company chronicle compiled during these years, it can be proudly reported that in 1938, Department A produced 23,687 gross of briar shag pipes (1 gross = 144 pieces), 4,945 gross of beech shag pipes, and 729 gross..."
Translated from:
Vortrag zur Tabakpfeifenherstellung in Schweina - Lies mehr über Reich, Schweina, Zeit, Pfeifenfabrik, Produktion und Sebastian.
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