GBD (French) Pipe Dating Help

[jojoc]

Well @npod triggered my PAD with his 10o years of the Prince Pipe post. I don't have a prince in my collection, so I did a little hunting and found this GBD Prince at a price point I thought, what the heck ....


So, a couple questions:
1. Any idea on the date? From my limited knowledge of GBD Pipes, it appears to be pre-merger (1981). I don't have the pipe in hand yet, and this is the only photo. My understanding is the other side is marked with "France" and 357.
2. Thoughts on quality of this line? Again, from my limited research it appears it was likely a mid-range pipe

Thanks!

 

[BROBS]

What does it say? Speciale ___ ?

 

[jojoc]

Speciale Standard

(Not sure why the photo posted twice in the Original Post. They are the same photo.)

 

[ssjones]

Not much is written on French made GBD's, but I would say that is pre-merger. Post merger COM changes to a round stamp, on British made, so I assume French made would have a similar change (or perhaps there were no post-Cadogan, French made GBD's?)

 

[jojoc]

Not much is written on French made GBD's, but I would say that is pre-merger. Post merger COM changes to a round stamp, on British made, so I assume French made would have a similar change (or perhaps there were no post-Cadogan, French made GBD's?)

My understanding is that French production was closed down and moved to London as part of or shortly after the post-Cadogan merger.
There Does not seem to be a lot written on GBD's in general, and even less on the French production lines. I did find a comment in a post from GL Pease that he likes the French Speciale Standard lines, that they smoke Virginia's really well.

 

[BROBS]

pre merger and the standard quality of pipe from France at that time.

 

[jojoc]

Any information out there on dating beyond the per-merger dates. When did they change from script to block letters for the model names? Seems like there is a complete void from the 30s to the 80's as far as dating these.

 

[BROBS]

Your guess is as good as mine. A lot of GBD history seems to be lost to time. I would bet your pipe is from the 60s-70s... but just a guess.

 

[ssjones]

Yep, lost to time, a shame. I suppose there must be plant workers who were young in the late 70's to early 80's. Wish we could interview them!

I've never seen a GBD stamped France, with a round post-merger COM, so I also suspect that production ended in France at that time.

 

[BROBS]

I have a post merger GBD Unique made in France.

 

[dmcmtk]

I know the Speciale pipes were made at least as late as 1961, they were $8.50 at the time. It sure looks like a very nice pipe to me. This is my Speciale shape 111,




"I did find a comment in a post from GL Pease that he likes the French Speciale Standard lines, that they smoke Virginia's really well."

You can also see the 111 shape here,

 

[BROBS]

Smokes Virginias well?

 

[ssjones]

I have a post merger GBD Unique made in France.

Well lets get a picture of that COM up here!

 

[ssjones]

Here's what appears to be post-merger GBD Unique "France" (with a stamped stem logo).

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[jojoc]

@ssjones and @sablebrush52
Gentleman - I saw in some other posts that you have some 1950-1970s GBD catalogs. I'm curious when the earliest mention of the "Speciale Standard" is based on your records. I found an old ebay listing of a 1979 catalog that mentions it, so i know this line was produced right up to the merger in the early 80's, but it would be nice to to maybe narrow it down somewhat on the bottom end. On the pipedia page there is a 1961 image referencing "Speciale", but not "Speciale Standard", and apparently only 18 shapes were made, which did not include the Prince shape. So likely, post 1961,
Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

 

[BROBS]

I have that same one.. must not be very "unique"! lol

I'll get a good pic up tonight

 

[BROBS]

@ssjones and @sablebrush52
Gentleman - I saw in some other posts that you have some 1950-1970s GBD catalogs. I'm curious when the earliest mention of the "Speciale Standard" is based on your records. I found an old ebay listing of a 1979 catalog that mentions it, so i know this line was produced right up to the merger in the early 80's, but it would be nice to to maybe narrow it down somewhat on the bottom end. On the pipedia page there is a 1961 image referencing "Speciale", but not "Speciale Standard", and apparently only 18 shapes were made, which did not include the Prince shape. So likely, post 1961,
Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

I think you just answered your question that your pipe is most likely mid 1960s to 1980 ... no way to narrow it more than that IMO.

 

[mau1]

I have a 1911 GBD Speciale made in London by Adolphe Oppenheimer. Jguss mentioned in a different thread that the GBD Speciale was made as early as 1906.
I am somewhat confused as to why a pipe would be stamped both Speciale and Standard. A further expansion of the brand?

 

[BROBS]

I believe all the standard French made GBD line was called "Speciale" although it was not necessarily "Special".
So you had Speciale Standard (smooth) and Speciale Sablee (sandblast).

GBD nomenclature and history is VERY confusing.

 

[mau1]

We need to recognize the changes over time. The earlier GBD Speciale were "special" as per Pipedia.
"Early GBDs were made only in one single grade concerning the wood’s quality, later supplemented by a second one, and there was only a very limited number of finishes. But toward the end of the 19th century, the demand changed. For example the Britons preferred darker stainings. More differentiated customer’s wishes made the introduction of additional markings necessary. GBD Xtra and GBD Special were very early models who’s names indicated special final treatments and / or fitments. The standard quality was stamped simply with GBD."

The use of Special in later periods doesn't reflect the same quality IMO.