Esoteric Antique British Stem Question

[xrundog]

I’m wondering if antique British pipes were uniformly made with orific bits or if some companies may have used elliptical bits. Here’s an example. I have this Lowes cased pipe with short and long stems. The straight pipe is missing but 3 stems remain. Hallmark is well worn but looks like a London U for 1895. All the bits look like good ellipses. If these are modified it’s interesting because I have rarely seen it done on American pipes.

 

[sablebrush52]

They're referred to as "semi orific" bits, and yes, these were in use very early on. My 1908 Barling gourd calabash has a semi orific bit, as does my 1908 briar calabash. I don't recall either Dunhill or Sasieni using orific bits.

 

[georged]

Those slots look like factory work, not something done by an owner or B&M repairman afterward.

The round hole evolved into today's "V" slot. Looks like you found an early marketing experiment (or, since it's a set, maybe a special order request.)

 

[xrundog]

Thanks for the replies. I suspected there were variations and exceptions just based on the dozen or so pipes I have like this. American pipes from the same era are pretty uniformly orific. Excepting some early amber stems that might have been imported. Replacement stems are easy to spot.

 

[kcghost]

In any event you have a rare gem of a pipe.

 

[xrundog]

In any event you have a rare gem of a pipe.

Thanks! It is pretty great. I’m on the lookout to fill that empty slot.

 

[runscott]

Those look factory to me. I have a couple of orific bits that were modified to slots, but yours look original. Very cool!

 

[xrundog]

I have another of that type on this 1898 hallmarked R. Hovenden & Sons.