Diamond in the Rough or Diamond-Shanked Turd?

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AroEnglish

Rehabilitant
Jan 7, 2020
5,150
15,141
#62
So I've been trying my darndest to find a diamond shank bent billiard that had a band, case, and had short/chubby proportions. You can't really write that in the search bar on eBay so it's been hard to find one.

Unexpectedly I stumbled on one just before it was about to end and put a modest bid and won! Since I didn't have time to do research ahead of time (and haven't found much information since) I'm wondering if this is a diamond in the rough or as my friend likes to say, a turd in the rough?

The particularly questionable part about it is the band which doesn't look original and potentially looks glued on.

 

Staggerlee

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 4, 2021
108
436
Clearwater Florida
The repouse band is definitely original, they were very common on American market pipes from the turn of the century. 1908 Sears catalog. View attachment 189742
Wouldn’t it be so wonderful to be able to go to the sears catalog to shop for a new pipe! I don’t wish to go back to the early 1900’s for all the advantages we have now but there are a few things I wish we could have from that era.
 

AroEnglish

Rehabilitant
Jan 7, 2020
5,150
15,141
#62
Thanks for all the replies! I will post some pictures once it arrives.

I’m glad to hear many think it’s original. I’m hopeful it’s as George mentions below. That photo of the "dreadnought" is what made me first fall in love with this shape and it would be cool if it was a BBB-made pipe.

Gonna guess it was made by BBB.

If yours is exactly 4 inches long (between the red lines, not diagonally) the chances go up.



View attachment 189668.
 

OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,746
36,388
72
Sydney, Australia
So I've been trying my darndest to find a diamond shank bent billiard that had a band, case, and had short/chubby proportions. You can't really write that in the search bar on eBay so it's been hard to find one.

Unexpectedly I stumbled on one just before it was about to end and put a modest bid and won! Since I didn't have time to do research ahead of time (and haven't found much information since) I'm wondering if this is a diamond in the rough or as my friend likes to say, a turd in the rough?

The particularly questionable part about it is the band which doesn't look original and potentially looks glued on.

Nice pipe.
Love those thick diamond shanked stubbies 😍
You done well

Please post some pics after you clean it up
 

jonasclark

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 4, 2013
753
409
Seattle
I think you did very well! That stem is probably Redmanol, a Bakelite variant. I'd be extremely happy to get that for twenty dollars!
 
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AroEnglish

Rehabilitant
Jan 7, 2020
5,150
15,141
#62
signal-2022-12-29-172729.jpeg

Well here’s a quick photo. I didn't realize that this pipe was so tiny! But man is it gorgeous. I've never smoked a pipe this small so I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like.

Now the bad part: It seems that the stem has been glued and the airway is blocked. Also, looking inside the chamber there is some briar that’s missing. Anyone think this is beyond saving?
 
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Briar Tuck

Lifer
Nov 29, 2022
1,109
5,744
Oregon coast
View attachment 190790

Well here’s a quick photo. I didn't realize that this pipe was so tiny! But man is it gorgeous. I've never smoked a pipe this small so I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like.

Now the bad part: It seems that the stem has been glued and the airway is blocked. Also, looking inside the chamber there is some briar that’s missing. Anyone think this is beyond saving?
It will be difficult to clear the airway without removing the stem, so that's a hurdle. If you can get the stem off it should be fixable.