A 1913 Brumfit Straight Billiard

[OzPiper]

This is a pipe I've had a while. I'd appreciate some information esp from Jesse (@sablebrush52 ) and Jon (@jguss ).

It's a 1913 Brumfit straight billiard with slotted bit, tapered stem.

The nomenclature is rather indistinct - in good light you can just make out BRUMFIT over LONDON. There are no ther marks on the other side of the shank.

The silver band is stamped E.B. over W.B. with London hallmarks for 1913.

My question is (and this has been prompted by a recent post of of a Barling Durandu pipe) :

Is this a pipe that was made by Barling for John Brumfit ?
Or is this a Brumfit pipe with silver work by Barling ?

There is scant information on John Brumfit on Pipedia or Pipephil

 

[condorlover1]

Here is something that might be of help...

https://thepipeshop.co.uk/pipes/john-brumfit-what-makes-a-great-british-classic/

 

[greeneyes]

It would seem to me that Brumfit were a tobacconist that had pipes made for them by various pipe makers, possibly including Barling. I say possibly because having a Barling mount doesn't make it a Barling briar. The ledger, account books and letterhead list Brumfit as a City of London cigar merchant and make no mention of manufacture, purchase of briar, craftsmen etc. Wonderful pipe! I have a few here though I don't believe they have Barling mounts.

 

[kcghost]

The example you have shown certainly looks like a Barling. I am pretty sure that this pipe was made for them by a another party.

 

[jguss]

greeneyes is right.

John Baron Billam Brumfit (1840-1922) started the business in 1864. It was converted to a private liability company in 1933 when his family sold the business to Major Philip Gribble (who became Chairman) and Donald Peel (who became Managing Director). Both were on the board of the Anglo-Rhodesian Tobacco Company. Brumfit eventually had a wholesale division as well as a fluctuating number of retail outlets, but they were not pipe manufacturers. This pipe would have been made for them, if not by Barling, then by someone else.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'd say it was made for them by Barling. Barling stamped the names of their various dealers on their pipes and left their own name off. 1913 was a part of a period of transition for Barling nomenclature, as they began adding their name on the other side of the shank around that time and later still reversed the positioning of their logo and the dealer's name on the shank.

 

[OzPiper]

Thank you all for your replies. ?

Jon, you should take over editorial duties for Pipedia. Perhaps as a retirement project ?

I'm awaiting delivery on a Durandu pipe, with E.B./W.B. hallmarks.
I'll post pics when it arrives.

 

[sablebrush52]

Thank you all for your replies. ?

Jon, you should take over editorial duties for Pipedia. Perhaps as a retirement project ?

I'm awaiting delivery on a Durandu pipe, with E.B./W.B. hallmarks.
I'll post pics when it arrives.

I own the Mother Of All Durandu Barling pipes, a 1910 Barling magnum that was probably originally part of their window display.

 

[OzPiper]

I own the Mother Of All Durandu Barling pipes, a 1910 Barling magnum that was probably originally part of their window display.

Yes, THAT lust-inducing one. ?

 

[Grangerous]

Just WOW! Beautiful pipe. I like billiards.