Family Era Ben Wade

[dixie]

Came across this beauty at an estate sale of a 100 year old pipe smoker. Just liked the shape...but when I cleaned it up I found it was a family era Ben Wade…Just wanted to share this classic beauty.

 

[shaintiques]

Very. Cool, love Ben Wades.

 

[ssjones]

I love that shape!

 

[papipeguy]

The simplicity of those lines is very elegant. Congrats on your find and enjoy it.

 

[jguss]

Ben Wade's Walnut was one of their better pipes, in production for decades, and priced somewhere about two thirds of the way up from the bottom.
Considering all the years Wade operated in Leeds, finding pipes from that time is surprisingly uncommon. It's a great pipe, Dixie, congratulations!

 

[pylorns]

Looks amazing - what do you mean by family era? I've just stumbled on a Ben Wade myself that I've sent off to be restored.

 

[freakiefrog]

That's an awesome looking pipe man. The history is as much fun as the pipe itself.

 

[dixie]

Looks amazing - what do you mean by family era? I've just stumbled on a Ben Wade myself that I've sent off to be restored.
Pylorns,

Family era refers to the time period Ben Wade pipes were produced by the Benjamin Wade family prior to selling to Lane Ltd. Check out the Ben Wade Pipedia page for great info. Would love to see your Ben Wade! Post some pics when you can.

 

[owen]

Sweet pipe, first Leeds pipe ive seen and I have been keeping my eyes open for a while.

 

[neverbend]

Hi Dixie,
Congrats on the lovely Ben Wade.
Kennedy Barnes gifted me (and it's sadly long gone) an expenditure log of Ben Wade (company) from 1881. Simple little ledger book, about 100 pages, hard that measured about 4" x 10". It had entries like 2 shillings for coal . Another entry noted a raise to an employee of 1 shilling (extra) per week.
Based on the style of your stem I'd say that the pipe is well into the Family Era, possibly 1930s. Enjoy it.
Pete

 

[dixie]

Very cool Pete! Thanks for the info…that ledger book sounds like it was a fun piece of history.