Carved Briar: City of London Imperial Volunteers - 2nd Boer War

[runscott]

This one just arrived. Could possibly be dated by 'Rd. No. 354787' on the side (“British Design Registry number”).

 

[verporchting]

Wow, that’s just cool! Nice!!

 

[anotherbob]

this may sound weird but it looks amateur to me. Not in skill but in style. Like pro quality but and I can't put my finger on what but it feels like someones really talented uncle carved it. That is neat though.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

This one just arrived. Could possibly be dated by 'Rd. No. 354787' on the side (“British Design Registry number”).

Nice pipe?.

 

[runscott]

this may sound weird but it looks amateur to me. Not in skill but in style. Like pro quality but and I can't put my finger on what but it feels like someones really talented uncle carved it. That is neat though.

Can't argue with an opinion, but it's one of the nicer carved figurals I've acquired, and I pretty much only collect the high-end ones.

Maybe it was done by Uncle Lamberthod?

 

[anotherbob]

Can't argue with an opinion, but it's one of the nicer carved figurals I've acquired, and I pretty much only collect the high-end ones.

Maybe it was done by Uncle Lamberthod?

yeah it's not an issue of quality. I guess the best way I can explain it, would be to say it seems more personalized then professional pieces usually do. Like it's got a bit of a self taught vibe over trained to be like that. I don't know how to articulate it clearly, but it just seems that way to me.

 

[warren]

An impressive bit of history to be sure. I'm a wee bit jealous.

 

[beefeater33]

Great Pipe! I love it!............... any idea what the "CIV" on the hat stands for?

 

[scloyd]

CIV - City of London Imperial Volunteers - CIV for short

 

[scloyd]

That's cool.

 

[runscott]

yeah it's not an issue of quality. I guess the best way I can explain it, would be to say it seems more personalized then professional pieces usually do. Like it's got a bit of a self taught vibe over trained to be like that. I don't know how to articulate it clearly, but it just seems that way to me.

No, I get what you're saying. But holding it in hand, everything about it is quality - definitely professional. I'll take pictures of it side-by-side with another 'soldier' pipe that is exactly what you are saying. The other one is also high quality, but there are a few things that are off - a professional would have done differently.

But it doesn't matter - this one's a keeper and I'm happy with it.

 

[runscott]

CIV - City of London Imperial Volunteers - CIV for short

Yes, see thread title.

 

[coming to_falling too]

Very cool piece.

 

[mikethompson]

Like little piece of history, no matter who carved it.

 

[simong]

You'd have no trouble selling or donating that to one of the military museums in London. Deserves to be in a museum really, I'd of thought. A pipe of historical significance.

 

[jguss]

This one just arrived. Could possibly be dated by 'Rd. No. 354787' on the side (“British Design Registry number”).

The design registration on your pipe was granted between March 14-24, 1900. At that point the second phase of the conflict was only 8 weeks old and the British under Lord Roberts were aggressively on the move to reverse the course of the war. In the months that followed the sieges of Mafeking and Ladysmith were relieved and Pretoria captured. In the surge of patriotism that followed these thrilling (to the British, less so to the Boers) events a pipe like yours would have been in great demand on the home front.

It’s a real treasure and a tangible reminder of cataclysmic events at the dawn of the last century. Enjoy it in good health.

Jon

 

[Honkytonk Man]

Is it a carving of General Sir Henry Mackinnon, I wonder?