Dating Charatan?

[KwangPan]

Dear OzPiper,

Your pipe has same shape but higher grade than mine. It's great. Is this made in Rueben's era, 1910-1960?

I've just take shots to my pipe again.

I do agree with your thoughts regarding the stem curvature.
Thankfully my Shape 56 has a more gentle curve, whereas the 2nd (no shape number) has a straight stem (note the differently shaped foot)
View attachment 332290

 

[OzPiper]

Dear OzPiper,

Your pipe has same shape but higher grade than mine. It's great. Is this made in Rueben's era, 1910-1960?

I've just take shots to my pipe again.View attachment 332417
View attachment 332418

Hi @KwangPan
The 1st pipe (lighter colour) is a Supreme grade - Charatan’s highest grade during the Reuben era

When Lane took over, the number of grades multiplied exponentially.
Their pipes caught the upsized bug. As well as double-comfort stems.
The shapes also shifted from the classic Anglo- French school.

 

[OzPiper]

Dear OzPiper,

Is this made in Rueben's era, 1910-1960?

I have only a few Charatan pipes and have very little knowledge on how to date them.

When you open up the Pipesmagazine Forums Title Page, under the Forums List there is a link to “Ken Barnes Posts on Charatan and Upshall”.

Ken Barnes apprenticed at Charatan as a lad, when his father was the General Manager there.
He later left to set up Upshall Pipes

There is information in those posts you won’t find in books or Pipedia.
Absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in Charatan and Upshall pipes

 

[KwangPan]

Thank you all. And thanks Jguss.

I just dare to think it's in Frederick's era because it's so small (14mm x 44mm as group 2 DH) following the indicated guide from Pipedia.

I don’t have much to add; it’s yet another reason (if we needed one) to lament the loss of Ken Barnes.

I know the Special grade existed by 1949, and perhaps earlier. My personal guess is it emerged after the industry lurched back to life in the wake of reconversion following WW2. The model owned by the OP is called the Artist and was one among many shown in the 1951 and several subsequent catalogs:

View attachment 332269

It definitely feels like a Reuben era pipe to me and I agree 1950s is a good guess. Certainly it looks pre-Lane if we define that to mean the period before Herman bought Charatan from Reuben’s widow Esther after her husband died in 1962.

 

[KwangPan]

Thanks for very useful informations, OzPiper.

I must read these posts right now.

I have only a few Charatan pipes and have very little knowledge on how to date them.

When you open up the Pipesmagazine Forums Title Page, under the Forums List there is a link to “Ken Barnes Posts on Charatan and Upshall”.

Ken Barnes apprenticed at Charatan as a lad, when his father was the General Manager there.
He later left to set up Upshall Pipes

There is information in those posts you won’t find in books or Pipedia.
Absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in Charatan and Upshall pipes

 

[OzPiper]

Thank you all. And thanks Jguss.

I just dare to think it's in Frederick's era because it's so small (14mm x 44mm as group 2 DH) following the indicated guide from Pipedia.

I bought this from Ken Barnes.
There are no stamps, but I was told by Ken that in his opinion, this is a Frederick Charatan based on its shape and size.
This is a tiny pipe - much smaller than the cutty (Shape 56)