Great Charatan's Supreme was on eBay

[georged]

I'm not sure of the grades in the layout. Sorry.
The good news is I talked to Mary McNeil just a few hours ago at the KC Club's Christmas dinner meeting, and told her I'd posted the photo (which I think she took). She was delighted because she was married to Carl when the book was written and served as his editor plus did the print & photo layouts, and loved knowing that the work was still contributing to our hobby after 45 years. Since she has an excellent memory, and seeing that you guys are interested in the history of the pipes, I now wish I'd dug deeper. We should be in contact again in the next week or so (I promised her my hummus recipe :lol: ) so I'll hit her up then for any backstory details she might recall.
I'll also take and post another photo tomorrow of the "centerfold" using better lighting & etc. (That one was just a snapshot)

 

[kenbarnes]

georged: that would be brilliant! I am sure my father met with Carl on one or two occasions,it is such a small world in the pipe world and I very much look forward to seeing some more photos!

 

[georged]

Here is a screen size shot of the "centerfold". Definitely better than before, but nothing approaching HD. (Glossy paper takes specialized lighting and a copy stand to do well). The color balance is also off---my photo editor and SLImG don't play well together. Imagining the pipes in their deep, rich, cinnamon glory is all you can do, I'm afraid.
https://i.sli.mg/TQfrHY.jpg

 

[kenbarnes]

Thanks for that georged

Feelings will definitely come up when Barry sees this lot.

I love the square shanks that Joan & Barry were making at this time!

 

[ssjones]

Fantastic. I'd love more shots of that thin shanked Diplomat (?) at the 1 o'clock position.

I wonder where those pipes ended up, lost to time I suspect.

 

[kenbarnes]

I'd love more shots of that thin shanked Diplomat (?) at the 1 o'clock position

It looks like a shape 373 to me- The Salisbury shape

 

[ssjones]

Good call Ken. It appears that the shape 373 is somewhat rare.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/england/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=142101

 

[kenbarnes]

This one above has a replacement mouthpiece fitted because the curve on this mouthpiece is awful. Charatan did not have the best mouthpieces but the way they bent the mouthpieces was fine. This one would not have left the factory with a 'hooked' bend on it. When some repairers heat the mouthpiece to form a curve they do not warm the whole mouthpiece- just the bit they think needs bending... and this is the result - no curve just a horrible looking kink. This shape, the Salisbury came in two sizes a 173X (a group1) and the group 3 you see here. I think that they may be quite rare in the U.S. because in those days, American pipe smokers wanted larger pipes, minimum group 4 size.

 

[georged]

It looks like someone in the shop was fond of that general shape. Here's a chunkier version of the same pipe that I bought new in the late 1970's. Well loved and well smoked... a great performer. (Obviously in desperate need of a cleanup, but there you go. The shoemaker's children have no shoes syndrome strikes again. :lol: )

 

[kenbarnes]

The shoemaker's children have no shoes syndrome strikes again.

Yes, I like that one! Your Charatan, however, is a hand model rather than a catalogue shape. A very nice special albeit in need of some mouthpiece de-ox?

 

[ssjones]

I like the subdued heel of Georges pipe.
Here's a better example. This one is still available (although I've never heard of Blue Room Briars).
https://www.blueroombriars.com/products/charatan-special-373-dc-1-4-bent-smooth-scoop-estate-pipe