Dunhill? "Root Briar London Made TC 46"
- Thread starter Humblepipe
- Start date
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It's just some low line company that copied the nomenclature layout of Dunhill to add a bit of class (or maybe confusion, if you're a cynic).
I’m not going to argue with you, and happily defer to your hands on experience with the marquee. However I do want to add some context to the pipe.
I got it from a seller when I purchased their 1940 Dunhill (See thread here), so I know they had stuff from this period. I’ve been looking into the trade control era in UK during and after ww2, I found a lot of examples of these TC stamped pipes made by Hardcastle.
The wood is low grade (dozens of flaws). Just ONE of those would have been sufficient for a Dunhill to get booted from their line as soon as it was discovered. Their refusal to sell pipes with surface flaws has never wavered.
Such rejected stummels weren't used for firewood, though. That took a structural flaw. They did "tumble down a flight of steps" of makers who were willing to finish them into pipes. The further down the list the lot went, the lower the price went until they were finally gone.
Such rejected stummels weren't used for firewood, though. That took a structural flaw. They did "tumble down a flight of steps" of makers who were willing to finish them into pipes. The further down the list the lot went, the lower the price went until they were finally gone.
Yes to all you say, but context matters too. I went into the TC thing in a separate thread a couple of months ago (Interesting Completed Ebay Auctions - British Pipes :: British Pipes - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/interesting-completed-ebay-auctions-british-pipes.60196/page-95) but the cliff notes version is that TC stood for "Trade Control" and was stamped on WW2 era English pipes which were subject to price restrictions. Obviously manufacturers generally used their crappiest stummels for things destined to reap a minor reward (i.e. those pipes which were chosen to be part of their aliquot share of the industry responsibility to produce TC inventory); and in fact many TC pipes were sandblasted and/or stained to hide flaws. I'm not saying that this particular pipe was made by Dunhill, just that I'd look at more than the presence of flaws to reach that conclusion.
I believe the "46" part of the stamping, by the way, does not refer to the pipe's shape. I think it's a code for size/price under the TC regulations in effect at the time but am not sure. Certainly In reviewing a number of TC pipes the clear majority are stamped 46, 56, 66 or 76. I should say though the pipes I've seen have all been online and not being able to hold them in my hand is a decided disadvantage to drawing any firm conclusions.
Two Dunhill experts on one thread. I would listen to what they say. George saved me over 400.00 last week or so when I was real close to pulling the trigger on a 1957 Dunhill LB, my dream birthyear Dunhill. He spotted a couple of things that I had no idea existed in the world of Dunhill. I wouldn't have noticed them, but I knew they would be there which would have bugged me.
Make that one at least as far as I’m concerned. George is the man.
100% not true.
My history skills are limited to summoning the Duke Street Irregulars with my keyboard.
I only know about physical, inspectionizeable stuff that can be inspectionizeified.
PS for Mr. Guss:
Why are you typing when you should be screwing plywood over your windows?
I’m not quite as stupid as I look. I flew up to the Garden State last Tuesday and left my better half to hold down the fort.
Ah. A crafty plan, indeed.
I just appreciate both of you taking the time to look at the pipe and
Going with the “assumption” that this pipe is 40s era, do we know of any makers other than Dunhill who had a root briar line?
Or in this instance, and the scarcity of burl during this time, could this be more like a “real briar”/“genuine briar” / “imported briar” stamp more commonly found on pipes?
Or in this instance, and the scarcity of burl during this time, could this be more like a “real briar”/“genuine briar” / “imported briar” stamp more commonly found on pipes?
I’ll have to dig through my pipes but I have two “root briar” Wally Franks from the 1915-1920’s. Mind you, they are not the quality of a Dunhill, but like AD himself would be proud of “marketing is everything”
You got pics of that old TC ## pipe with the plastic fantastic stem you used to have?