Birth Year Pipe
- Thread starter Doctor Chopper
- Start date
Go with a brand that is easily dated (Dunhill, some Castellos, etc.), study up on how they’re dated, and then pick one that suits you. I’d be patient, though. Some folks get lucky, it took me just over a year.
Yep. SP is usually pretty good to take the guesswork out of it and list the year made, if they know. eBay can require a little more work because it may not be noted and you may have to look at the stamping. You can always reach out to the seller and ask specifics, too. If he/she doesn’t know the date, you can ask for specifics on the stamping.
Also, you can do some research to see what shapes were offered during that year, go ahead and pick a few styles you may like, and then set saved searches with notifications accordingly. It’s a fun process.
Dunhill/White Spot is the only brand that has a dependable means of determining the year of manufacture, and even with them, you need a magic decoder ring (a reference site or book) to figure out what year.
I never miss an opportunity to tilt at this windmill and urge pipe makers, factory brands and artisan individual pipe carvers, to stamp or etch the year on each pipe. The only two I know that do this are Luciano pipes, although I'm not sure they are still in business, and the N.C. pipe maker Jerry Perry who etches the year of each pipe on the stem. I think other artisans do this as well. But of course, many artisans don't go back in time far enough to have made pipes when people were born forty or more years ago.
Many other factory brands you can guess within five years or so by shape, finish, patent number, etc. etc., but within five years is of no interest to the birth-year buyer.
If pipes were stamped, you could buy your own birth year, the birth year of your spouse and each of your children, the year you won the Nobel Prize or maybe landed a better job, etc. etc. Too bad pipe makers don't do this, and probably never will.
I never miss an opportunity to tilt at this windmill and urge pipe makers, factory brands and artisan individual pipe carvers, to stamp or etch the year on each pipe. The only two I know that do this are Luciano pipes, although I'm not sure they are still in business, and the N.C. pipe maker Jerry Perry who etches the year of each pipe on the stem. I think other artisans do this as well. But of course, many artisans don't go back in time far enough to have made pipes when people were born forty or more years ago.
Many other factory brands you can guess within five years or so by shape, finish, patent number, etc. etc., but within five years is of no interest to the birth-year buyer.
If pipes were stamped, you could buy your own birth year, the birth year of your spouse and each of your children, the year you won the Nobel Prize or maybe landed a better job, etc. etc. Too bad pipe makers don't do this, and probably never will.
Boswell pipes are well marked with dates, too. I just don’t think many folks here will be young enough to get a birth year from them.
Forum sponsor Fine Estate Pipes - http://mkelaw-pipes.com/ often has birth year Dunhill's.
Deadmanspipes. Todd's selection is very good and he takes the time to detail the pipes too.
Unfortunately, its an auction site, so of course the prices can run over ones budget.
I've used him before and have always had great service.
SP is also another great source. I managed to score a birthyear Dunhill 196 from them end of last year, beginning of this year, its a great smoker. Unfortunately, I dropped the darn thing and snapped the tenon...
When you find your birth year pipe, make sure to take and post a lot of pictures so that we can marvel at how long man and machine can last.
I have bid on a couple off his site, but they quickly went beyond my price.
My wife bought me a Boswell in 1992, beautiful freehand, hard to believe that was thirty one years ago.
@Doctor Chopper , yeah as I say Doc' auctions can quickly escalate.
I got involved in bidding for a 1928 Dunhill LC, it went for over $2500, its easy to get caught up in the bidding frenzy, thankfully (kind of) I didn't win the bidding.
I said you doomed in your search for a birth year pipe. Your message reads "I want a birth year pipe, cheap, don't know any place that sells them". That is a pretty broad target. Why don't you tell us when you were born, what you are willing to spend, what brand pipe you are looking for, etc.
Depends on which decade you were born
Petersons have hallmarked/datemarked silver bands/ferrules
Cadogan era silver banded or spigotted pipes are hallmarked/datemarked
Also POTYs (Pipe of the Year)
Petersons have hallmarked/datemarked silver bands/ferrules
Cadogan era silver banded or spigotted pipes are hallmarked/datemarked
Also POTYs (Pipe of the Year)
I didn't include the year, as I am thinking not only of myself but also my wife and children. I was born in 1967. Looking for a fair deal for the pipe, but overall price is not of concern.
I haven't even read your response yet, still staring at the vintage HD on your avatar.
@Doctor Chopper , Doc' a 1967 birthyear pipe should be gettable, certainly if , as you say overall price is not of concern. 