Antique Shop Find - Cutty

[SmokeyJock]

I'll need to go back I realised they weren't all meerschaum, but wasn't sure if the one at the back left was maybe just well-coloured meerschaum (didn't pick it up)

Will have a closer look later after work or tomorrow

 

[MisterBadger]

@SmokeyJock - Mrs. B. thinks the middle mark is a Birmingham anchor. But thinking about it, wouldn't Blumfeld have the London lion's head mark, as a London-based maker?

 

[SmokeyJock]

@SmokeyJock - Mrs. B. thinks the middle mark is a Birmingham anchor. But thinking about it, wouldn't Blumfeld have the London lion's head mark, as a London-based maker?

I'd expect them to have the BBB diamond somewhere too, or on the case, and there wasn't one

 

[condorlover1]

Briar 'cutty' pipe. If it is not badly burnt out it should be fine with a new bone tenon and stem. I have always been told you have to be careful with old 'woods' as they can crack if they have dried out. Probably best to smoke it slowly and give it a good coat of some kind of wax or oil type of polishing product for wood but not furniture polish. Check the shank to see if the threads for the tenon are intact. It probably had either a faux amberine or bone stem and your choice is solely limited by personal preference. What is on the inside of the case? If it has the BBB in a triangle then you have your answer as to the maker. I concur with the date on the hallmark. I see some idiot detached the case from its hinges which is always a proverbial arse ache to fix but not impossible. For £15 I would say buy it.

The billiard with the amber stem looks very nice. How much is it? If it has a makers name and hasn't been bashed around and the threads on the shank are firm without you having to twist it and risk breaking the amber I would certainly purchase that one. The claw I have no comment on, the other one is a cheroot holder so probably not much use unless you intend to take up cigars!

 

[SmokeyJock]

Briar 'cutty' pipe. If it is not badly burnt out it should be fine with a new bone tenon and stem. I have always been told you have to be careful with old 'woods' as they can crack if they have dried out. Probably best to smoke it slowly and give it a good coat of some kind of wax or oil type of polishing product for wood but not furniture polish. Check the shank to see if the threads for the tenon are intact. It probably had either a faux amberine or bone stem and your choice is solely limited by personal preference. What is on the inside of the case? If it has the BBB in a triangle then you have your answer as to the maker. I concur with the date on the hallmark. I see some idiot detached the case from its hinges which is always a proverbial arse ache to fix but not impossible. For £15 I would say buy it.

The billiard with the amber stem looks very nice. How much is it? If it has a makers name and hasn't been bashed around and the threads on the shank are firm without you having to twist it and risk breaking the amber I would certainly purchase that one. The claw I have no comment on, the other one is a cheroot holder so probably not much use unless you intend to take up cigars!

Going to go back as soon as I'm finished work, there were no markings in the case for the cutty and I assumed it would have the BBB diamond if it was a Blumfeld too. I'm tempted to buy the billiard more than the cutty as I've already got a pipe I'm needing to get a stem made for (the 1906 BBB meerschaum) and I'm not going to let myself buy them both when I've already bought 2 pipes this month. The billiard is £20. If it's still there in a couple of weeks on the other hand...

 

[condorlover1]

Going to go back as soon as I'm finished work, there were no markings in the case for the cutty and I assumed it would have the BBB diamond if it was a Blumfeld too. I'm tempted to buy the billiard more than the cutty as I've already got a pipe I'm needing to get a stem made for (the 1906 BBB meerschaum) and I'm not going to let myself buy them both when I've already bought 2 pipes this month. The billiard is £20. If it's still there in a couple of weeks on the other hand...

If the billiard is sound with no cracks and the stem is not loose or the shanks threads are not stripped buy it immediately. Without repeating myself and at the risk of being redundant amber and amberine stems are extremely fragile. Do not twist it as it will snap or shatter. Get a soft modeling pipe cleaner to see if there are any obstructions. Smoke it and whilst warm very gently see if the mouth piece will turn. Do not try and field strip the pipe as you will f*ck it and beget yourself a expensive repair! Good luck.

 

[Pirate55]

Going to go back as soon as I'm finished work, there were no markings in the case for the cutty and I assumed it would have the BBB diamond if it was a Blumfeld too. I'm tempted to buy the billiard more than the cutty as I've already got a pipe I'm needing to get a stem made for (the 1906 BBB meerschaum) and I'm not going to let myself buy them both when I've already bought 2 pipes this month. The billiard is £20. If it's still there in a couple of weeks on the other hand...

Nice old pipes
My little bit of input, as the pickers say (bundle them) ask for a price on 2or3 pipe deal and pay cash! You can always sell one ?

 

[SmokeyJock]

Having gone back and looked closer at the billiard it has no makers marks on it and the amber stem is extremely loose and doesn't quite line up with the shank - I'm not convinced it's its original stem. Going to pass on them today, if the cutty is still there in a couple weeks I might change my mind. @condorlover1 your wise words of caution are always appreciated and cannot be overemphasised, especially to an impatient young ne'erdowell such as myself

 

[jaingorenard]

Going to go back as soon as I'm finished work, there were no markings in the case for the cutty and I assumed it would have the BBB diamond if it was a Blumfeld too. I'm tempted to buy the billiard more than the cutty as I've already got a pipe I'm needing to get a stem made for (the 1906 BBB meerschaum) and I'm not going to let myself buy them both when I've already bought 2 pipes this month. The billiard is £20. If it's still there in a couple of weeks on the other hand...

Not necessarily, it's a Frankau pipe not a BBB. As far as I know Blumfeld owned Frankau after the death of A. Frankau, until they were bought be Oppenheimer. BBB were just one 'marque' sold by Frankau. As usual @jguss will be able to give the best info.

 

[condorlover1]

Having gone back and looked closer at the billiard it has no makers marks on it and the amber stem is extremely loose - I'm not convinced it's its original stem. Going to pass on them today, if the cutty is still there in a couple weeks I might change my mind. @condorlover1 your wise words of caution are always appreciated and cannot be overemphasised, especially to an impatient young ne'erdowell such as myself

Sounds like what we call in the trade as 'string in a bucket' phenomenon in that the threads on the shank or the stem of the pipe are f*cked by some 19th century idiot who couldn't resist the temptation to take things apart. He probably dismantled alarm clocks as well, that type are usually sodding immortal or at least inter-generationally challenged.