How Long Has Bowl Coating Been Around?

[orobusto]

In looking at estate pipes, I was wondering how long and how prevalent bowl coating has been. Any idea who started it and when? If I see a 50 year old estate claiming to be unsmoked, is it possible it would have a coated bowl?

 

[papipeguy]

Great question. Yello-Bole pipes were created in the early 1930's and the bowls were coated with a honey mixture. As for the other coatings I can't say but if you have a 50 year old pipe it could have been coated by the manufacturer.

 

[pitchfork]

At least since the mid-70s, possibly earlier.

 

[mso489]

Someone on Forums has the history on this, so we may hear from them. I'd guess that some form of bowl coating goes way back, because there was such a competition between pipe makers, when the volume of sales was at its height, when dozens of patent systems and variations bid for the consumer's dollar. That's where all these various stingers, extra chambers for moisture, vents for extra air in the airway, etc., came from. I'd guess bowl coatings on particular brands went back to the 1920's at least, but it's just a guess.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Bought an unsmoked KB&B pipe made between 1908 and 1924, at it's bowl is nothing but sweet bare briar.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Before bowl coatings, some primo pipes in Europe were sold with the cachet of having been broken in by a professional pipe smoker! A little bit like today buying blue jeans that are worn through, have holes, and are very expensive.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

broken in by a professional pipe smoker!

Damn. Missed my calling.

 

[perdurabo]

Bowl coating is a pain. Wish it was done away with. I wonder sometimes if the coating isn't there to hide imperfections. Especially if the coating gets smoked down and starts to crack.

 

[sablebrush52]

Pre-smoking a bowl to eliminate the break in period was started by Linkman, who built a machine which used Edgeworth ready rub to pre-carbonize the chamber. The first pre-smoked Dr Grabow was put on the market in 1933. It was hugely successful, appealing to a lot of smokers who hesitated because of the perceived issues with breaking in a bowl.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Before bowl coatings, some primo pipes in Europe were sold with the cachet of having been broken in by a professional pipe smoker!"
Rather like paying a premium for what is actually an estate pipe then?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[ssjones]

Sasieni pre-carbed their bowls. I have an unsmoked Four Dot and it looks like a coating to me. It's somewhat hard to date, probably in late 60's to 70's for that manufacturer (nomenclature runs from '46-'79).

 

[orobusto]

Thanks for all the replies. I had seen an old Savinelli (possibly from the 60s) on ebay and it looked like it had a carbon coating and it got me thinking about the history of the process.