I have in my possession a new Barling Pipe in it's own leather case which was amongst my Grandfathers effects when he died in the 50's. It has on the left side "Barlings Make Ye Olde Wood 211" with the letters "EL" on the right. Inside the (bowl) case are the words "SPECIAL CARLING'S LONDON MAKE" in gold lettering with an oval gold surround. Also inside the (stem) case in gold are the words "Ye Olde Wood". The pipe is 6" long from stem to bowl. Can anyone tell me about this Pipe?
Barling Pipe
- Thread starter mitreman18
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Welcome to the forum! That sounds like an very interesting piece, but you have this post in the wrong section. I'll move it to the British Pipes section.
Please add some photographs, that will make commentary much easier.
Please add some photographs, that will make commentary much easier.
Wow! Neat! I would like to see pictures. I'll tell you what I can from the information you have provided thus far. More information and some images, may help narrow down the period.
The 3 digit model number, 211, suggests that the pipe was made for the US market. These 3 digit codes are also known as Nichols numbers, named for Barling's US distributor. Around 1926-7, Barling reentered the US market and set up a separate numbering system for their US market product.
The "EL" indicates the chamber size. EL was "extra large" and only entered Barling's product line in the late 1930's.
The lack of a COM stamp, Country Of Manufacture, next to the EL stamp suggests that the pipe is early, because Barling was very frugal with stampings prior to WW2. Unfortunately, they were also very inconsistent with stampings, so the lack of the COM stamp isn't a lock.
The inner case logo is typical for a Barling case of the period. The term "Special" when applied to the case, refers to this being a cased pipe and is not a grade. Barling had a "Special" grade, but that was always stamped on the shank of the pipe.
Ye Olde Wood is a grade, a step up from their standard "Barling's Make". Barling collectors refer to this grade as YOW.
So your pipe dates to somewhere between the late 1930's and 1950's, when your grandfather passed.
Look at the underside of the stem, near where it meets the shank, and see if you see either the letters Reg'd with a line of numbers below it, or the words "Barling Design". Not all stems had this stamping, but a great many do and it also helps set the time frame. If you see the Reg'd stamp with the numbers, that's a patent stamp and pipe was made no later than 1950. If it says "Barling Design" then the pipe is no earlier than 1950.
Hope this helps.
The 3 digit model number, 211, suggests that the pipe was made for the US market. These 3 digit codes are also known as Nichols numbers, named for Barling's US distributor. Around 1926-7, Barling reentered the US market and set up a separate numbering system for their US market product.
The "EL" indicates the chamber size. EL was "extra large" and only entered Barling's product line in the late 1930's.
The lack of a COM stamp, Country Of Manufacture, next to the EL stamp suggests that the pipe is early, because Barling was very frugal with stampings prior to WW2. Unfortunately, they were also very inconsistent with stampings, so the lack of the COM stamp isn't a lock.
The inner case logo is typical for a Barling case of the period. The term "Special" when applied to the case, refers to this being a cased pipe and is not a grade. Barling had a "Special" grade, but that was always stamped on the shank of the pipe.
Ye Olde Wood is a grade, a step up from their standard "Barling's Make". Barling collectors refer to this grade as YOW.
So your pipe dates to somewhere between the late 1930's and 1950's, when your grandfather passed.
Look at the underside of the stem, near where it meets the shank, and see if you see either the letters Reg'd with a line of numbers below it, or the words "Barling Design". Not all stems had this stamping, but a great many do and it also helps set the time frame. If you see the Reg'd stamp with the numbers, that's a patent stamp and pipe was made no later than 1950. If it says "Barling Design" then the pipe is no earlier than 1950.
Hope this helps.
Heh.... Looks like he made it long enough to type a big reply while you and I were worrying.
Mitre-
Once your photos are on a photo hosting site (such as Imgur.com;Photobucket; Postimage; Dropbox, etc.), or on virtually any site, select the full image, then Control-click (Mac) or Right-click (Windows) on the image itself, then choose copy image location. Now paste that URL (the full web address, which should end in .jpg) into the IMG box in the reply window of the thread you're posting to.
The site's album is also a good choice.
Mitre-
Once your photos are on a photo hosting site (such as Imgur.com;
The site's album is also a good choice.
Hello mates, I have a billard Barling with a silver ring. There are a lot of stamps that I really cannot identify. On the shank there is a Barling logo which is like hand written, below is 557S and then London England. On the ring there is a small stamp STERLING SILVER, E.B W.B and a few icons. Can anyone explain what period of time my pipe was made? Thank you.
Pictures would help, but this much I can say. Your pipe dates to no earlier than the end of 1962. It sounds like it might be from the early to mid 1970's, after the Barling factories were closed and Imperial was jobbing out manufacture to other British makers, like Charatan and Cardogan. The few pipes I've seen with a Barling makers mark and "sterling" stamped on the band are post 1980, from the period when Imperial sold the Barling name to an investor group who reconstituted the company on the Isle of Man. But it's hard to be any more precise without pictures.
The "icons" are probably hallmarks, which properly read will tell you the time the band (and therefore probably the pipe) was made. You can either post close-up photos of the silver band right here on this thread and someone will help you out, or you can google UK hallmarks and figure it out yourself (it's kind of fun to do).
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