English Bents, pre-1900, and Sherlock Holmes.

[Bax Burley]

Hello all,

I remember reading an article once about the bent billiard not becoming popular in England until approximately 1900, during the Boer War, and the introduction of the Hungarian/Oom Paul. Can anyone point me to any similar articles explaining this?

The main reason I ask, I'm actually playing Sherlock Holmes on stage in November, and I know Holmes only had 3 pipes mentioned in canon: his clay, his cherrywood, and his beat up second hand briar. We always see Holmes with a calabash or bent pipe in filmed/stage versions, which I know was a 20th century thing, so as not to hide the actor's face.

If I am going for historical accuracy, would we have to assume that Holmes' briar pipe mentioned in the late 1880's, and already secondhand, would almost certainly be a straight pipe? (Ian Richardson was pictured with a nice straight apple in one of the 1983 films, but most of the time he either had a Rathbone-esque Peterson, or a calabash.)

 

[bullet08]

I wouldn't go too accurate with that character. I mean with habits of using cocaine, morphine, opium and many others, you might have an issue before the production shuts down.

 

[Bax Burley]

I wouldn't go too accurate with that character. I mean with habits of using cocaine, morphine, opium and many others, you might have an issue before the production shuts down.

Yes, I won't exactly be using a hypo on stage. But I have the perfect clay and cherrywood....I really want to pick the perfect briar. People expect a bent, though. Just like they'll expect the deerstalker hat, even if he only wore it occasionally, when traveling.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

He was active until about 1914, so you’ve got some leeway unless it’s the specific story you are wanting to match up with.

 

[Bax Burley]

He was active until about 1914, so you’ve got some leeway unless it’s the specific story you are wanting to match up with.

The Blue Carbuncle, so Christmas of 1891, if we're really being specific, but of course, it doesn't have to be.

 

[jguss]

The Blue Carbuncle, so Christmas of 1891, if we're really being specific, but of course, it doesn't have to be.

There were unquestionably briars with bends sold at that time and I have contemporaneous images to illustrate the point. They’re at my office and I’ll make a note to post one after the weekend.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Loewe made bent stem pipes - Peterson System would be a good choice.

 

[jguss]

For now here’s an image from the January 1, 1896 issue of Tobacco. I know I have similar pictures from the 1880s at work.

 

[Bax Burley]

For now here’s an image from the January 1, 1896 issue of Tobacco. I know I have similar pictures from the 1880s at work.

View attachment 169678

Very helpful! Awesome. I was toying with using a Peterson system pipe for this.

 

[ashdigger]

Here’s three pre-1900 pipes.

 

[jguss]

As a temporary expedient here are a few images culled from Worthpoint’s records of online auctions

 

[sablebrush52]

Here's one of mine, Barling 1882:

 

[dino]

Here are illustrations by Sidney Paget, the artist of the original stories, that will give you some perspective.
First is from "The Blue Carbuncle" showing his pipe rack, that seems to show his cherrywood, his clay, and his briar.



The second is from "The Man with the Twisted Lip" publisher the same year as "The Blue Carbuncle" shows him smoking "his old briar."

 

[anotherbob]

go with what feels right! and send us some video if possible. But more important then factual accuracy is energetic and spiritual accuracy. What makes you feel like the guy, if that makes sense. Either way very freaking cool.

 

[OzPiper]

Wonderful responses from everyone, esp @dino and the illustrations by Sidney Paget

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Here's one of mine, Barling 1882:

Elegant, decadent, wow!

 

[jguss]

Elegant, decadent, wow!

Elegant for sure, but decadent? I’m much more inclined to see Jesse’s Barling as the apotheosis of the Victorian pipemaker’s art rather than evidence of its corruption and decline.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I don't know anything about acting

Elegant for sure, but decadent? I’m much more inclined to see Jesse’s Barling as the apotheosis of the Victorian pipemaker’s art rather than evidence of its corruption and decline.

Haha, that's not where I was going with decadent!

Your description is better, though!

 

[Bax Burley]

Here are illustrations by Sidney Paget, the artist of the original stories, that will give you some perspective.
First is from "The Blue Carbuncle" showing his pipe rack, that seems to show his cherrywood, his clay, and his briar.

View attachment 169729

The second is from "The Man with the Twisted Lip" publisher the same year as "The Blue Carbuncle" shows him smoking "his old briar."
View attachment 169726

I forgot I had seen these, and that's definitely a straight one. But all these pictures of bent 1880's/'90s pipes are quite eye opening. Thank you all!

I should add that I'm directing this, as well. I direct a university program. I cast two students as Holmes and Watson, Watson dropped out of the main role, and my Holmes actor asked would I please play Holmes and could he take over Watson. I adapted the script over the summer myself, and I get to choose my pipes of course. It's good to be in charge. Three of them are keen to learn to smoke, with stage tobacco, of course. (The actor playing Ryder also smokes, specifically called for.)

 

[simong]

I forgot I had seen these, and that's definitely a straight one. But all these pictures of bent 1880's/'90s pipes are quite eye opening. Thank you all!

I should add that I'm directing this, as well. I direct a university program. I cast two students as Holmes and Watson, Watson dropped out of the main role, and my Holmes actor asked would I please play Holmes and could he take over Watson. I adapted the script over the summer myself, and I get to choose my pipes of course. It's good to be in charge. Three of them are keen to learn to smoke, with stage tobacco, of course. (The actor playing Ryder also smokes, specifically called for.)

Forgive my ignorance but what’s this ‘stage tobacco’ about? Black shag & Honeydew are two of the blends I remember Holmes’s smoking. Clan would probably go down well with the audience as it’s got a delightful room note, despite it being one of the worst blends to actually smoke.
Good luck with the play, sounds great fun!