GBD 12 Get a New Home

[gloucesterman]

Over the years I've been working on a set of GBD London Made 9438 Bent Rhodesians and one by one have found almost all of the finishes ever offered. What had always eluded me was the right display for the collection. Well this week I found it on Ebay. A 12 pipe GBD display box with a hinged lid. Perfect. The set now has new digs.

 

[bonehed]

Very!

 

[scrooge]

Congrats!

 

[ssjones]

Wow, that was some competition for the box, that's perfect for your 9438's!

 

[papipeguy]

Impressive collection.

 

[dixie]

Amazing collection! I want to see them in the display box! Post a pic when you can.

 

[fnord]

That is so cool, G-man!
I'm delighted for you. You've got a fabulous collection and a wonderful way to display them.
Now, what are your favorites to smoke? And which ones are your least favorite to smoke? Same-same model is one thing, but your pipes are covering several generations where GBD vacillated between superb to okay to pretty damned good. I'm really interested in your take on this.
Fnord

 

[danielplainview]

Alright! I'm glad to see it was you that brought it home. That's going to look amazing filled with those 9438's.

 

[johnnyiii]

I don't say this often but ...
SWEEEET!

 

[gloucesterman]

fnord, for some reason the 9438 is very consistent across the entire range in both the London and French made pipes. The Meerschaums of course smoke differently but all smoke well. I usually develop sets based on liking the way a pipe smokes and then finding it in a number of different finishes. In this case I really can't detect much of a change in smoking quality from briar to briar. All of these pipes are Pre-Codogan pipes made in St. Claude and finished in London between the 1950s and 1981 when Comoy/GBD manufacturing was consolidated. Al Jones believes that 1981 isn't really a firm date because there was a period when the GBD line was using stummels from both plants and I tend to agree. The St. Claude/London Made are quite distinctive however and have always been one of my favorites. My visual favorite is the PreHistoric. It is a very dark brown with a natural rim. The contrast is beautiful.

 

[scrooge]

Waiting To see them in there new home. How long did it take to find all these beauties? Are they all estates or bought new?

 

[gloucesterman]

All estates and reconditioned. Took the better portion of 10 years to find them all. They haven't been made since the early eighties. The first half dozen go quickly but then it gets harder and harder to find those last few. It started out innocently enough, first I just liked the way they smoked and would pick them up when they were available. Next thing I know I was collecting all the different finishes I could find. The display box was just the frosting on the cake.

 

[danielplainview]

Yeah, yeah. Let's see the pictures pal. :x

 

[simong]

Well done gloucesterman! I'm sure all the time & effort was more than worth it when you see them nestled together in their silky box.

 

[crazypipe]

Very nice looking pipes. ::

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

I can't believe I haven't commented on this collection? I think upon first glance I was so taken back that I ignored it subconsciously out of complete and utter jealousy. It simply is a great collection of pipes. Congratulations and thank you for sharing the pictures. I hope to someday be set up to post pictures as nice as yours. Cheers!