AAA Marxman

[Briar Lee]

Evidently Bob Marx had some contractual arrangement to supply Marxman pipes to the American Automobile Association. This is the second one with a AAA insignia I’ve bought, the other one has the most fills of any pipe I own. This one looks like it could have been a Jumbo “B”.

The only pipes I’ll buy anymore are Pre 54 Marxmans.

Not pretty, but the very best smokers ever made for a leather tongued old addict like me. They are stout, bold, strong smokers.




Marxman pipes are not for the novice.

He had some way to oil cure Algerian briar to where it’s almost as heat resistant as asbestos and delivers a strong and hearty smoke bursting with flavor.

The ones made after 1954 marked France and Italy are good pipes but don’t have Marx mojo dust sprinkled on them.

 

[crusader]

I love your post's. They are always thought out and historical (which I love)
Don't ever change, Briar Lee.

 

[tobakenist]

I agree.

 

[didimauw]

Same!

 

[burleybreath]

Those do go back a ways. I believe Barney Rubble smoked one that looked like that.

 

[Briar Lee]

I’m hooked on Pre 54 Marxman pipes for their fantastically good and completely unique smoking qualities.

Most Bob Marx era pipes are not marked as Algerian briar, but I’m of the opinion they all were Algerian. Many of the fresher ones seep oil when first smoked.

Marxman collectors chase his figural carved pipes. I have one horse head Marxman with a big glob of putty, and no other figurals. I also think all Marx pipes were bench made by one artisan. They aren’t fully hand made but the artisan used machines to make one pipe at a time, mostly by hand. Compared with the same priced Lee or Kaywoodie a Marxman looks like a turd. Some are just horrible. None are magnificent, at best only passable. The ones I like best color maybe faster than meerschaum. The briar is soft, and very porous.

The pipes are carved not only to sell them, but to disguise flaws.

I’ve found one Marxman ish sub brand pipe branded Westchester in a Marxman box. I think the smallest and lowest grade Marxman pipes were for years sold as $3.50 Mell-0 models and at the end $2.50 Dunsboros, which were stained. Benchmade and Super Briar grades were all naturals.

The difference between a Super Briar and a Benchmade (both grade designations) is the Super Briar has less fills. The Benchmades are usually carved.

These were the best smokers on the planet, cool and dry with a hearty, strong, bold flavor that has to be experienced to describe.

I think Marx made pipes from 1934 to 1953 and never raised prices. During the war he used more carving and more and more putty.

After he sold out the pipes came in the same boxes but they were made in France or Italy. Standards of briar quality went up. But those aren’t real New York Ciry made Marxman pipes. They don’t have the magic formula, whatever voodoo Marx used.

 

[Tate]

Sounds awesome!! Are there any other identifiers for that year range? I looked on ebay and there seem to be some bench made but can't tell the year. I am a newer pipe smoker but I like that more robust smoke.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Briar Lee]

Sounds awesome!! Are there any other identifiers for that year range? I looked on ebay and there seem to be some bench made but can't tell the year. I am a newer pipe smoker but I like that more robust smoke.

Thanks in advance!

Avoid anything that says Italy or France.

Most Marxman pipes I own say Benchmade, which I’m convinced was the $5 grade.

Many have a size stamp, B, C, or D (rarely A). B was $7.50, C was $10, and D $15.

I think Jumbo was a shape, Again, they were size A,B,C, and D.

Then you’ll find them that only say Marxman.

The Super Briars were medium sized smooth pipes, with actually severely plain grain compared with Lee or Kaywoodie.

They all are the same wonderful smokers from a Westchester to a 400 ($25 model, high end Benchmade C or D size)

I think Marx used the same briar for all pre 54 production.

 

[Tate]

Avoid anything that says Italy or France.

Most Marxman pipes I own say Benchmade, which I’m convinced was the $5 grade.

Many have a size stamp, B, C, or D (rarely A). B was $7.50, C was $10, and D $15.

I think Jumbo was a shape, Again, they were size A,B,C, and D.

Then you’ll find them that only say Marxman.

The Super Briars were medium sized smooth pipes, with actually severely plain grain compared with Lee or Kaywoodie.

They all are the same wonderful smokers from a Westchester to a 400 ($25 model, high end Benchmade C or D size)

I think Marx used the same briar for all pre 54 production.

Thanks!! I'm gonna start hunting for one!

 

[Tate]

Found one on ebay. Not sure on year though.

 

[Tate]

Hey I think I found one from the 40s. Can I pm you to see if it is in good shape? Still learning how to pick estate pipes.

 

[Tate]

Looks pretty clean. Here and the bit is in decent shape too. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Tate]

I found some marketing online for the Mel-o dated to 1946. I'm pretty excited! It looks like it might have been a cheaper model back then but it looks to be in good shape. Thanks for sharing its fascinating to see this history!

 

[Briar Lee]

Some musings about that Mell-O

The top grade $25 “400” is usually shown with a 14K GF band but the cheapie $3.50 Mell-O was the bottom of the line until the Dunsboro and the Morocco were price leaders at $2.50 near the end.

And a new Marxman was a pale tan, and very quickly colored to a turd shade of brown on it’s way to black.

Somebody loved that Mell-O a lot, enough to smoke it to a dark reddish brown and have it repaired with a band.

Bet it’s a goooooodern!

 

[Tate]

Some musings about that Mell-O

The top grade $25 “400” is usually shown with a 14K GF band but the cheapie $3.50 Mell-O was the bottom of the line until the Dunsboro and the Morocco were price leaders at $2.50 near the end.

And a new Marxman was a pale tan, and very quickly colored to a turd shade of brown on it’s way to black.

Somebody loved that Mell-O a lot, enough to smoke it to a dark reddish brown and have it repaired with a band.

Bet it’s a goooooodern!

Heck yeah! I ended up ordering that one and a Benchmark B. I'll make a thread when they get here. The Mel-o looks pretty much perfect. I'm going to try some light restoration on the Benchmark with some Briar Balm and some micromesh on the stem and bit.

 

[Briar Lee]

My Marxman AAA arrived today and it was in nearly new condition.

Just a flip of a knife turned the light cake into powder, and the bowl is now pure brown briar.

It’s a chunky pipe, maybe even a B size.

Then I tried to pull out the stinger, and used a pair of pliers to help —-and——

Crrraaaccckk

The tenon was dried out and cracked, and broke off.

Have you ever seen a grown man cry?

Use everclear to loosen the stingers!

 

[telescopes]

Mr. Lee... I think it's time. Time to change your name to ... Bob. Briar Bob that is.

 

[Tate]

Some musings about that Mell-O

The top grade $25 “400” is usually shown with a 14K GF band but the cheapie $3.50 Mell-O was the bottom of the line until the Dunsboro and the Morocco were price leaders at $2.50 near the end.

And a new Marxman was a pale tan, and very quickly colored to a turd shade of brown on it’s way to black.

Somebody loved that Mell-O a lot, enough to smoke it to a dark reddish brown and have it repaired with a band.

Bet it’s a goooooodern!

I got the Mel-o today. My best pipe so far. You were right about the cake coming off real easy. Most of it was cleared out but cleared the rest easy with a knife. Been breaking it in with some Five Brothers.

 

[Briar Lee]

Mr. Lee... I think it's time. Time to change your name to ... Bob. Briar Bob that is.

Past time, Tele, past time.

Since that first anonymous carver replaced a broken meerschaum with a pipe carved from a root ball from a heath tree he’d had drying out for several years, the best smoking briar pipes on the planet were made at 29 West 24th Street New York, New York, USA from 1934 to 1954.

It is close to the Flatiron Building and Madison Square Park and is at the god damned heart of the greatest city ever to rise on earth as it could be. I wonder if that’s the same building?





The secret was the oil cure of the Algerian briar.

The stems were the commonest grade of vulcanite.

 

[telescopes]

Is your collection missing a pipe?