Bakelite pipes.

[mawnansmiff]

Hello again folks, today I found two identical pipes in a bundle of estates that arrived in the post that made me look twice. They are black with spots of red (not too disimilar to Cumberland) and am pretty certain they are not briar. Might they be Bakelite I wonder? Sadly there are no markings at all on either pipe.
I doubt I will smoke them but are there specific ways to clean such pipes?
Any advice most welcome.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Could be "brylon". Should clean up the same as a briar, but man those things get hot when smoked.

 

[mso489]

Just ruminating here, but aren't Brylon pipes usually branded, by Medico or whoever? It's a patented material, so I would expect them to be. If the pipes are Bakelite, that makes them interesting, but I think you have to be careful since the material is brittle. I'm not sure they are candidates for smoking, maybe more collectors items. Just guessing -- chasing may be right.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The only Bakelite pipes I've seen had removable briar bowls not unlike a Falcon. That would be my reasoning for the brylon guess. Couldn't imagine Bakelite standing up to the heat of a burning ember.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Thanks fellas. These certainly have been smoked and they are certainly not briar or any other wood. I have read about pipes being made from bakelite but cannot recall where. I shall clean one up tomorrow and post a picture or two.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[samcoffeeman]

Perhaps Hilson Fantasia? They were bakelite with meerschaum lined bowls. Often. The Hilson was stamped on the stem and was usually buffed off. Sometimes they had a shape number on the bowl.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Right chaps, a little late but here are three pictures of one of the pipes. The other one is identical. It has not been cleaned up yet as I'm not too sure how to progress from here but if no advice is forthcoming I shall just treat them as if they were briar when it comes to sanding etc.

Regards,
Jay.

 

[papipeguy]

If they are bakelite why would you sand them? Rub the bowl vigorously with your thumb and then smell it while warm. If it smells like formaldehyde then it's likely bakelite. As with all forms of plastics, the color is infused throughout the entire compound.

 

[mso489]

I wouldn't smoke anything that has the scent of formaldehyde in it. It was thought of as innocuous when Bakelite was a popular plastic used for radio knobs and other uses. Formaldehyde has since been found to cause tumors in animals and safety procedures have been put in place where it is used in industrial applications, I believe. I don't see any sign of a meerschaum liner on this pipe.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Pap, I would sand them to get rid of the many micro-scratches that are all over them. I will likely advertise them as suitable for stage props only. Shame really as the black/red combination looks quite funky. I would love to know who made them and to which era they belong. I am guessing they would be circa 1950's to 1970's.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[papipeguy]

Frankly, unless that pipe has a meerschaum or briar insert I doubt it is Bakelite. Fire is not that plastic's friend. There were Bakelite pipes made years ago in California but they had briar inserts in the bowls.

Here's an article from Reborn Pipes re a Bakelite pipe.
https://rebornpipes.com/tag/bakelite-pipes/
Another example with a meerschaum insert.
https://www.rubylane.com/item/338449-RL3342/Vintage-1930s-Bakelite-Smoking-Pipe-Tobacco

 

[jpmcwjr]

Could it possibly be "The Pipe" mfg?
I had one decades ago, but as I recall, the name was carved into the -whatever crap it was made with- stummel.
http://thepipe.info/info/index.html#finish