Any B. Barling experts out there?

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smokeymo

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 1, 2020
173
483
AZ
I am trying to date a B. Barling pipe I own and I'm having a little trouble.
The only markings are:
"B.BARLING & SONS" in straight, block writing on the shank.
"1142" right next to the stem connection.
It has the Crossed Barling logo on the stem.

From Pipedia: "...according to Tad Gage, the only four-digit number that denotes a Pre-Transition piece begins with "1," which was used for pipes sold in England. Any other four-digit Barling pipe is a Transitional piece"

That leads me to believe it is a pre-Transition pipe, but when? Anyone have any thoughts? There is no "Made in England" so I want to guess it is pre-WWII but I have no confirmation of that.

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,184
51,282
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I am trying to date a B. Barling pipe I own and I'm having a little trouble.
The only markings are:
"B.BARLING & SONS" in straight, block writing on the shank.
"1142" right next to the stem connection.
It has the Crossed Barling logo on the stem.

From Pipedia: "...according to Tad Gage, the only four-digit number that denotes a Pre-Transition piece begins with "1," which was used for pipes sold in England. Any other four-digit Barling pipe is a Transitional piece"

That leads me to believe it is a pre-Transition pipe, but when? Anyone have any thoughts? There is no "Made in England" so I want to guess it is pre-WWII but I have no confirmation of that.

View attachment 99789

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It's a Corporate Era pipe, probably 1970 or later. I could tell you more, but I'd need to see some angles showing the entire pipe and have a full description of the nomenclature.
B. Barling &Sons was a second line that was made for Imperial by one of several subcontractors, including Charatan and Oppenheimer after the Barling factories were shuttered.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,184
51,282
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Let me clear something up with regard to the 4 digit model numbers. Tad is correct with regard to 4 digit model numbers that begin with a 1 being for the British market during the Family era, but they came back into use During the Corporate Era as well. When the numbering system was changed in 1962 the first digits ran from 2 through 6. The 1 was avoided so that it wouldn't be confused with the old numbering system. But after a few years the 1 started being used again, so there are other factors that better define when the pipe was made.
 

smokeymo

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 1, 2020
173
483
AZ
Let me clear something up with regard to the 4 digit model numbers. Tad is correct with regard to 4 digit model numbers that begin with a 1 being for the British market during the Family era, but they came back into use During the Corporate Era as well. When the numbering system was changed in 1962 the first digits ran from 2 through 6. The 1 was avoided so that it wouldn't be confused with the old numbering system. But after a few years the 1 started being used again, so there are other factors that better define when the pipe was made.
I will add more pictures tomorrow but there isn't much more to say regarding the nomenclature on the pipe. The notecard that my grandfather filled out says it was a "Presentation" model but it doesn't note that on the pipe itself so I don't know how accurate or where he got that info from.

Edit: And thank you for your help!
 

smokeymo

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 1, 2020
173
483
AZ
@sablebrush52 here are some more photos. Anything further you can glean would be greatly appreciated. My grandfather had it labeled as "Presentation" in his notes. If that helps. He got it as an estate in 1991. Markings are "B.BARLING & SONS" and "1142" near the stem.
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paulfg

Lifer
Feb 21, 2016
1,639
3,123
Corfu Greece
The presentation grade was a corporate era grade.the pipe looks decidedly Danish to me.
My guess is made in Denmark for imperial Tobacco in the late 1970s after the Barling factory was closed

I am slightly curious as to if its a presentation grade (as this was a high grade) as B Barling & son was I thought a second grade.
Paging @ sablebrush52
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,184
51,282
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
@sablebrush52 here are some more photos. Anything further you can glean would be greatly appreciated. My grandfather had it labeled as "Presentation" in his notes. If that helps. He got it as an estate in 1991. Markings are "B.BARLING & SONS" and "1142" near the stem.
View attachment 104890View attachment 104891View attachment 104887View attachment 104889View attachment 104892
Here's what I can tell you about this pipe.

It was made in the mid to late 1970's by Nording. Initially after closing the Barling factories, Imperial outsourced the production of pipes to several British manufacturers including Charatan and Cadogan Investments. Around 1977, Imperial Tobacco decided to outsource manufacturing to Nording for a couple of years, and this pipe is from that period.

The shaping is classic Nording/Barling. The B Barling & Sons logo was used for Barling's line of seconds. 1142 would be the model number. Generally, the quality of these pipes is quite good.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,184
51,282
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
The presentation grade was a corporate era grade.the pipe looks decidedly Danish to me.
My guess is made in Denmark for imperial Tobacco in the late 1970s after the Barling factory was closed

I am slightly curious as to if its a presentation grade (as this was a high grade) as B Barling & son was I thought a second grade.
Paging @ sablebrush52
The B Barling & Sons may have been the second line, but it maintained gradings within that line. So you have a PRESENTATION gradem and a GUINEA GRAIN grade in a line of seconds.
 

paulfg

Lifer
Feb 21, 2016
1,639
3,123
Corfu Greece
The B Barling & Sons may have been the second line, but it maintained gradings within that line. So you have a PRESENTATION gradem and a GUINEA GRAIN grade in a line of seconds.
wasnt aware of that,i assumed once downgraded to a second line the high grade classification (presentation grade) was gone
you learn something everday
thanks Jesse
 
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Searock Fan

Lifer
Oct 22, 2021
2,228
6,109
Southern U.S.A.
I don't smoke English pipes because I don't care for rubber stems.... That said, I remember years ago at a pipe show seeing a collection of old Barling Quaints. They were absolutely beautiful.
 
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