Charatan Underboar (1920's to WWII)

[ashdigger]

Here's some photos of a pipe a picked up a while back. It's unique and I think its a bit gimmicky. Back when the pipe was made there was a sort of "Arms Race" involving stingers and inserts that were all promising the ever elusive "Perfect Smoke". In the case of this Underboar its a combination of stinger and cleaning aid. In its former life this pipe was smoked very hard and then put away dirty (very typical for that age of smoking). Here are the pics. The two diagrams I shamelessly lifted from Pipephil.EU.

 

[mikethompson]

Interesting idea, but I can also see ash or tars or whatever getting compacted under the bowl.

 

[sablebrush52]

Tim,
That's a very cool pipe to own. Underboars are extremely rare. If this is the eBay auction I remember from last year(?) you did good and I'm glad.

 

[ashdigger]

Jesse, Thanks. It is the eBay auction from last year, but it saw it get relisted twice and then I contacted the seller with an offer and to my surprise and joy he accepted.

 

[npod]

Great score, Tim. And neat to see one in the wild with stinger intact.

 

[cortezattic]

That's a great historic pipe. Thanks for posting. :clap:

 

[ssjones]

I've never seen a Charatan like that. I guess even the most storied of pipe makers was susceptible to the whims of the day. I assume you've been smoking it with the apparatus?

 

[Civil War]

I don't care, I love Charatans. Aside from the gimmick it's a beautiful pipe

 

[grilledokra]

I had to brush up on my Charatan markings, because the circle stem logo didn’t register. I think it’s interesting they chose to deviate from their normal mark for this particular model, considering an otherwise steady use of the CP logo.

 

[kenbarnes]

Super mega-rare. I love the craggy finish and the fairly naive way that the shank has been formed.
My father told me that he had never seen one, he did show me a photo/print of one in 1974. Barry Jones, who worked at Charatans from 1959 - 1977 had not seen one either. I would have thought that one may have been sent to the factory for repair or refurbishing.

Until a few weeks ago, I had not seen one and then a friend of mine, who has an extensive Charatan and Upshall collection sent me one as a gift saying that 'I needed one for my collection'. So now I am the proud owner of one too.

 

[sablebrush52]

Until a few weeks ago, I had not seen one and then a friend of mine, who has an extensive Charatan and Upshall collection sent me one as a gift saying that 'I needed one for my collection'. So now I am the proud owner of one too.

Way cool!!

 

[ashdigger]

Ken, that is absolutely fantastic!!