Does anyone have the approximate dates for the use of the FH stamp on old Charatans?...I haven't seen enough examples to come up with a clue. I have one, marked CHARATAN"S MAKE/MADE IN ENGLAND/SUPREME FH, with the Lane stamp; no other markings.(a Charatan I own marked CHARATAN"S MAKE/LONDON.ENGLAND/SELECTED/43X, no other markings, pre-dates this?) Later pipes are stamped with MADE BY HAND, MADE BY HAND IN THE CITY OF LONDON, etc. So I know the FH was used in the Lane era (post 1955, but for how long and when might it have begun? It is apparently used in lieu of any MADE BY HAND markings as redundant. (Also, I've never believed the idea that the FHs were made by Preben Holm).
Charatan FH Time-frame
- Thread starter Lemuel Pitkin
- Start date
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Preben Holm didn't work for Charatan.
There's a section of posts by Ken Barnes above the forum that might answer your question. Ken trained at Charatan and his father was the general manager there.
The first Charatan freehand was carved by Barry Jones as an experiment in 1959.
There's a section of posts by Ken Barnes above the forum that might answer your question. Ken trained at Charatan and his father was the general manager there.
The first Charatan freehand was carved by Barry Jones as an experiment in 1959.
I understand about Preben Holm; Fabio Ferrara makes the claim (Dating of Charatans/A Bit Of History) that after 1965 some of the Charatan freehands came from Holm. I followed all the Barnes posts with great interest when they first appeared here and have dived back in at times (thanks for preserving them!)...will do so again. I was close to the Siegel brothers beginning in 1982, and used to help them out at the RTDA shows 'til 1990 or so. I used to share a hotel room with Ken Barnes from, I think, 1985-1987 and was able to ask him a number of pipe related questions...not about the FHs, unfortunately (e.g. I showed him a couple of '70s era Charatans I had and he identified them as made by Stan Haney and said he was one of the best sanders at Charatan,,,never mentioned Joan.) In 1988 Ken and Shane were a married couple, and at the end of the RTDA show he. announced his leaving the pipe business. In 1989 I shared a room with Barry and had the fun of shuttling him to the airport in my MG. Unfortunately, I lost touch with Pete about twenty years ago, after the brothers split the business; last talked with Rob Siegel about a year and a half ago. None of this has anything to do with my question about FHs, but I get to remembering the fun times.
Yes, Pete had a couple tragic events in his life and disappeared from sight. I really hope he is doing well these days. He was a great, great friend and is a completely engaging and brilliant fellow.
Here's an interview with Pete on Brian's PoddyMcPodcast a while back ---
The Pipes Magazine Radio Show – Episode 189
Kevin GodbeeThank you for joining us for The Pipes Magazine Radio Show—the only radio talk show for pipe smokers and collectors. We broadcast weekly, every Tuesday at 8 pm eastern […]
pipesmagazine.com
I enjoyed a regular correspondence with Pete for about a year, often including Jon Guss. I learned a lot from him about the manufacturing process. Pete was a huge fan of Barling pipes. He was also a huge fan of opera and we would discuss the singers of the early 20th century. Very knowledgeable and erudite guy.
George, thanks so much. I went right to the show and greatly enjoyed hearing his voice again. Again, I hope he's doing well today.