Holy Grail Find - Charatan "Countryman"

[oldgeezersmoker]

Another Countryman. Shank looks longer than others I have seen. Inlaid stem logo is very unusual, I have only seen that on one other Charatan.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Charatan-Countryman-Sandblasted-Smooth-Pipe-Dunhill-Era-COOPERSARK-N-R-/351866630108?hash=item51ece2afdc:g:UWUAAOSwLF1X9d23

 

[ssjones]

My buddy snagged this James Upshall stamped "Countryman" from SmokingPipes.com, I would say it was unsmoked, or just barely.

 

[ssjones]

Thanks sharing that @oldgeezersmoker.
That inlaid "CP" is quite unsual. I don't watch a lot of Charatans, but I can say that I have not noticed that insert before.

Rob Cooper includes this in his ad:

Why does this pipe not have a series stamping? Why is the "CP" logo different? Here are my most plausible thoughts...This pipe was initially shaped during the Lane era of Charatan. It got buried somewhere int their factory. When Dunhill took over, they had a lesser skilled pipe maker finish the pipe. If you look at the top of the bowl where the rim flares out there are some pretty deep sanding/filing remnants. This may be the reason that Charatan, under Lane never finished the pipe in the first place. The Dunhill craftsman did the best that he could in finishing the pipe, but it was not up to the standards of a Charatan Freehand Relief, Executive, or Selected grade. The pipe was simply stamped "Charatan's Make" over "London England".
The "CP" inlay stem logo is unlike any that I have ever encountered before. I have handled thousands of Charatan pipes, and can tell you that the stem itself is original Charatan. The cut of the stem and the type of vulcanite material used in making the stem are both spot on. The "CP" logo is the same shaping as under the Dunhill era. The inlay work is too good for the average pipe repairman to try to accomplish. Charatan may have tried this logo as a prototype. (This pipe was owned by someone in the industry.) There you have it. This is the best explanation that I can give for this pipe. A Charatan collector who saw this pipe told me that he had one of the same shape with the same style of logo...Interesting!

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

SSJones, thanks for getting that link to work. Interesting pipes in this thread.

 

[dmcmtk]

Al, I wonder if the Upshall pipe was a limited run, as in 31 of 50...? A lot of these stummels seem to have been floating around.

 

[ssjones]

I assumed the same Dave. That is the only Upshall Countryman that I've ever seen.
Ian at Northern Briars also makes this shape. No matter the maker, these are always large pipes, over 90 grams. Ian did make a smaller one last year, Sally G had it for sale.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Thank you for saving my day and posting the pictures dmcmtk
I think this one is spot on :
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Pfeife-pipe-pipa-Charatan-s-London-hand-made-Selected-Extra-Large-oF-/152266252773?hash=item2373c6a1e5:g:7MQAAOSwFdtXy-NU
More to my liking than the Dunhill finished one, would not touch it with a barge pole .

Still waiting for Pete Ellam's reply, but mailed him pictures.
The game is afoot gents. But bear in mind : Before the game is afoot, thou still let'st slip "
Ravishing JU Countryman Al .

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here's one largish photo....

 

[orlandofurioso]

Thank you jpmcwjr.

Darn handsome pipe, not ?

 

[ssjones]

$1,000??? Probably not.
Although I think that is the first all smooth Countryman that I can recall seeing.

 

[ssjones]

My buddy reminds me about his James Upshall that Ken Barnes commented that he only recalls six being made in that shape, so those numbers don't appear to be a series number.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Hi Al,
Not in a thousand years, but it is indeed the first smooth one I have ever seen and the graining is just about perfect.

About your Countryman Al : did you give it a stain touch up ? It looks stunning; to my knowledge these pipes were unstained. It now looks like it had a tan wash and I love it.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Any of you ever stumbled over a countryman pipe with a cumberland stem ?

Some could be custom made .

 

[buroak]

More to my liking than the Dunhill finished one, would not touch it with a barge pole .

Is that a statement about the quality of the pipe, or a matter of principle? Although it lacked pedigree, it still looked a better bet than two other Countrymen that recently sold.
1. http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHARATAN-039-S-SELECTED-/222275201548?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=zpeYL8lfsCu7qOUZvfzEKQBhIRI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc


2.http://www.ebay.com/itm/332003783880?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


By the by:

Any of you ever stumbled over a countryman pipe with a cumberland stem ?

Some could be custom made .

Ian Walker has made some Countryman pipes with cumberland stems.

 

[ssjones]

@buroak - someone here bought that top pipe, look for pix here shortly.
I haven't seen a Northern Briars pipe with Cumberland, but I'm sure Ian has (or would) make one. Yesterday, SmokingPipes.com had a black Regal Rox Cut with an Irish knot silver band in the estate section, but someone grabbed it. Northern Briars Countryman shapes turn up on Ebay with more frequency than Charatans.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-UNSMOKED-NORTHERN-BRIARS-Ian-Walker-COUNTRYMAN-FREEHAND-English-Pipe-MINT-/361679448114?hash=item5435c66832:g:9GwAAOSwtnpXp8zR
Pipes2Smoke currently lists two, but both with black stems.

 

[buroak]

@buroak - someone here bought that top pipe, look for pix here shortly.

Do you know if the buyer found the stem to be an original Charatan?

 

[ssjones]

No, he bought the one stamped CP (the first picture/link in your reply above, it's a little stubbier than the standard Charatan)

 

[buroak]

That was my read on that stem. Someone did a creditable job trying to recreate the "CP" logo.

 

[ssjones]

Here's a rare smooth Countryman that ended today, an Executive no less.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-X-L-LANE-ERA-CHARATAN-S-MAKE-COUNTRYMAN-EXECUTIVE-BOX-SLEEVE-MINT-/401265279342?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=S5tnzZafBlkNuHgh7wIfEJ3I06U%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[paulfg]

ok so I realise this is an old thread but I thought bst to add this here.

was brousing the net last night and found this



now on its way to me