“GBD 9438" "London made”

[ragdoll]

Starting this off by saying: I know absolutely nothing about pipes. Lmfao. I Found this pipe while exploring an old cemetery in my neighborhood. It was half buried in the dirt behind a mausoleum for god knows how many years. The only markings on it are “London England” “London made” “GBD 9438” I’ve found similar looking ones online but nothing exactly like this one. I was thinking it may be a bootleg? But I heard someone else on here say GBD would be a strange company to counterfeit so.. who knows. Any help is appreciated. The silver gbd logo on the side is flat and all other labels are engraved in the wood. The stem is detachable and I believe the wood was vibrant at some point.?

 

[Ahi Ka]

And cue ghosted estate pipe jokes…

That GBD pipe looks legit. The stamped stem logo indicates that it’s post-1980s. However from the lines of the first pic, and the proximity of the stamps on the wooden (briar) stummel, I would assume the pipe’s shank was broken at some point, or another thought, which would make this pipe older, Is that it was originally released with one of those 70s style clear Perspex stems and the current stem is a replacement which fit good enough.

When there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call…

@ssjones

 

[OzPiper]

Calling Al - @ssjones

 

[mikethompson]

: I know absolutely nothing about pipes

Welcome!

I do have to say, that is an interesting find, from an interesting place.

 

[Jbyrd]

Welcome from Missouri and that is a great story

 

[ssjones]

That is a Cadogan era GBD (stamped stem logo, round "made in London, England " stamp, made after 1981.
Cool find, a real "dead mans's pipe"!

 

[Ahi Ka]

That is a Cadogan era GBD (stamped stem logo, round "made in London, England " stamp, made after 1981.
Cool find, a real "dead mans's pipe"!

Where do you see the round comoys factory style COM? I just see a straight “London. England” on the RH shank.

 

[trudger]

Wow, “half buried in the dirt behind a mausoleum”. What else you dig up?

 

[canucklehead]

Nice find!

 

[mso489]

And his last word were, "I wish I had time for one more bowl of Black Frigate."

Actually, that was Kit Karson who said he wished he had time for one more bowl of chili.

 

[didimauw]

Nice find! Seems like you were destined to be a pipe smoker! Welcome! One of us, one of us.....

 

[ssjones]

Where do you see the round comoys factory style COM? I just see a straight “London. England” on the RH shank.

Ah, you are right! I was on a plane yesterday, using my phone, didn't look close enough.
After the 1981 merger back Cadogan, GBD went thru several eras. Some post-merger pipes carried the brass rondell, but the round COM (I've always suspected they simply used up inventory). Then the stamped stem logo.
Then, in the 1990's, they revived the brass logo for a short while, then they disappeared, and reappeared in the early 2000's with a slightly different brass rondell (Pub line I believe). Then, disappeared again. All sorts of odd lines popped up (same with Comoy's), none documented anywhere. I guess this one was one of those oddities. I don't recall seeing a 9438 without beadlines, certainly that is pretty unusual.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Good point about the beads. Their absence (to me) really throws the shape out.

Enjoy your pipe ragdoll!

 

[ragdoll]

A

Wow, “half buried in the dirt behind a mausoleum”. What else you dig up?

poison iodine bottle from the 1900s and a beatup baseball I picked up for the dog - he wasted no time destroying it lmao

 

[anotherbob]

mind if I ask what cemetery and also what weird things are happening around the house especially when you smoke the pipe.

 

[ragdoll]

mind if I ask what cemetery and also what weird things are happening around the house especially when you smoke the pipe.

it’s the flatlands reformed dutch cemetery in Brooklyn. Haven’t tried smoking it and no strange occurrences - although I visit that cemetery often so maybe the ghosts have gotten used to me lmao.

 

[anotherbob]

oh so how have I never been to that place before. How?

 

[ragdoll]

oh so how have I never been to that place before. How?

make a trip! be careful at night though, people do crazy things in that cemetery. like. weird “sacrifices”. sometimes by the back of the gate you’ll see chicken parts and a few years back there was a cat hanging by its organs on one of the trees. messed up but in the daytime it’s pretty peaceful and the church is active. that same day I found the pipe I also saw this …??? Thing? With chicken skin and feathers wrapped around it. I don’t even wanna know.

 

[anotherbob]

make a trip! be careful at night though, people do crazy things in that cemetery. like. weird “sacrifices”. sometimes by the back of the gate you’ll see chicken parts and a few years back there was a cat hanging by its organs on one of the trees. messed up but in the daytime it’s pretty peaceful and the church is active. that same day I found the pipe I also saw this …??? Thing? With chicken skin and feathers wrapped around it. I don’t even wanna know.View attachment 214403

That's not super surprising. But it's funny how different places can be from one time of day to another.