GBD 9438 Prestige Addition

[danielplainview]

That's a beaut! Nice work Al.

 

[paulfg]

sorry to resurrect this post but I have just aquired this GBD 569GS which I know is the french made equivelent to the 9438 but can anyone enlighten me as to the number3 is it a line or grade of pipe and what is the GS is it the type of stem fitted and any ideas of approximate age

 

[ssjones]

Great timing Paul - I was watching that pipe and it's sister. The 569M is not seen very often and I've never seen it in this format with that nomenclature, so you can understand why those two auctions had a lot of interest. I had a 569M Originale, but it was a taper-stem pipe. My 569M was traded to Lestrout for the Prestige 9438 in this thread.

Here's the other 569M that the seller had listed. I've never seen this "Valois" finish/grade before.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/132151268045?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[paulfg]

I saw the black? one but was put off as I thought there may have been a crack in the chamber wall directly above the draft hole,although i may have been mistaken.

I am pleased to have secured it and hope I can get some dating and model information here

 

[ssjones]

I saw that crack. There is literally nothing written about these French pipes. I'm guessing they are from the same era, but's it's curious that the you No. 3 lacks the rondell. It looks like it would be the higher grade pipe of the two. I wish we had access to some retired GBD factory employee.

 

[paulfg]

Indeed Al there must still be some ex employees around from the pre merger days 1980s I would have thought