Found this lovely looking pipe in an antique shop yesterday on my lunch break, really tempted to go back and buy it today - what do you lot think? Anyone know what the stampings mean?
Britain's Best Briar Pipe Found in Antique Shop - Should I Buy?
- Thread starter SmokeyJock
- Start date
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It’s a meerschaum hallmarked for Louis Blumfield (“LB”) and Bloomfield’s Best Briar (“BBB”)
Later known as Britain’s Best Briar
The amber stem looks like it is missing its button.
Later known as Britain’s Best Briar
The amber stem looks like it is missing its button.
If I was there I'd run to the shop and get it now for £20. The stem is problematic indeed but I love the rest, as well as the colouring. Someone loved this pipe!
They're closed today
I'll be going back tomorrow for it
It's from 1906, looks nice. You can get a new stem made for it, which will obviously reduce its value but will give you a cool old meer to smoke.
The case seems to be in very good shape as well since that is half the battle of owning an ancient meerschaum. Either the stem is f*cked or the case is worn and missing hinges or some idiot has stripped the threads from the meerschaum shank and the bone connector is like a piece of string in a bucket. If you buy it for £20 which is a tad under $30 Continental money you have had a right result. Please resist the urge to deep clean it or generally dismantle the pipe, a pipe cleaner and a gentle ream should do the job, if the stem turns easily after smoking then try to gently turn it but avoid doing anything to it cold as the amber will fracture. The button on the stem is missing but it may of been filed down and I would be interested to see pictures when you get it home.
That's a great pipe. Definitely snag that when they open tomorrow.
I don't think I would have left the pipe sitting there at that price. It would have worth the price even if I only used it as a collectible.
I'd probably hit it for up to £40 if it's structurally sound. Actually the missing button make it a bargain in my opinion.
Really appreciate how helpful folk are on this forum, been figuring out the basics of pipe smoking by myself for a year (or 2 now that I think about it) without knowing anyone else who smokes one, my generation are all on the shitty disposable vapes
Go back to the store and pray to hell someone didn't snap it up!!
I’m am a huge fan of BBB and unfortunately, here in the States, we seldom come across such lucky finds. At least, I haven’t.
That coloring is just incredible and like someone commented, it’s case is in fabulous shape and the markings are crisp and legible.
Run! Buy! I’m envious.
That coloring is just incredible and like someone commented, it’s case is in fabulous shape and the markings are crisp and legible.
Run! Buy! I’m envious.
Panic averted folks, went in first thing this morning and bought it - got a bit of old cob missing a stem thrown in free too! 
The hinges on the case are fine, the clasp to keep it shut is useless now though, the hinges keep it closed okay
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Thank you! Got it from clepington antiques (confusingly on byron street, not on clepington road)
It's worth popping in there every now and again, their prices are way lower than the likes of abernyte
@SmokeyJock: You pipe needs a new stem and I see some genius has messed up the silver collar on the shank that will need a small amount of silver work done on it. Get in touch with Northern Briars www.northernbriars.co.uk as they do this sort of work especially the silver ware. They have banded several of my ancient meerschaum 'cutty' pipes over the years and their work is as good as the Victorian repairs you see on some older pipes.