I Just Snagged A Rare And Illusive Baccyflap!

[organizedmadman]

Yep, it's actually called a baccyflap.

Made in the 1930's, by a company called Wunup, it's a disk shaped Bakelite container for holding a days worth of pipe tobacco. They're incredibly rare, and hardly ever seen outside of Great Britian. Not much information is available about them anywhere, and no one knows how few are in existence. They usually go for $100+ at auction, but I've managed to snag one for cheap on eBay! People who own them absolutely love them!




The most info ever recorded about these illusive objects is housed here: http://baccyflap.com/things/baccyflap/
I can't wait!

 

[dmcmtk]

Cool! And yes, they typically are not cheap!

 

[plateauguy]

Good score! I've been after one for quite awhile.

 

[woodsroad]

Nice find.

I did some googling and it seems like this guy has some, but they are not inexpensive....

 

[huntertrw]

organizedmadman:
Weren't Baccyflaps discovered to be radioactive (or was that was old Fiestaware)? Regardless, no sense taking chances. You should send it to me at once for proper disposal!

 

[mcitinner1]

If I remember correctly our man Peck had a couple of them made by a wood worker last year.

 

[huntertrw]

"If I remember correctly our man Peck had a couple of them made by a wood worker last year."
Hopefully it wasn't that same woodworker who produced the saggy shelf in his tobacco cellar cabinet!

 

[organizedmadman]

If it's radioactive maybe it'll glow in the dark! Easier to find at night! :lol:

 

[gripsie]

Those are really cool! Congrats!

 

[jguss]

There are other snippets of relevant Baccyflap history posted by Mike Reschke on Neill Roan's blog a few years ago: http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills-blog/2010/11/6/the-elusive-baccyflap.html
Personally, my take is that Mike is right: Wunup was never an independent company, but just a brand used by Parker to sell cigarette cases, tobacco holders, and eventually pipes.
My dates are a bit different than his though; the Wunup brand existed at least by 1932/33, and the Baccyflap name appeared in Tobacco World's annual listing of Fancy Goods Brands in 1936 (it appeared in price lists a year earlier). The Baccyflap continues to be listed at least as late as 1974.
In 1933 the basic Wunup cigarette case sold for 2 shillings 6 pence. The fancier versions went for more, with the top of the line selling for 5/6. That version used Pinseal, by the way; made from the skin of baby seals it would be hard to imagine anything more calculated to enrage the politically correct sensibilities of the 21st century.
In 1935 the Baccyflap makes its debut appearance in the annual industry price lists, lumped in with the other sundries sold by Parker, and costing the modest sum of exactly one shilling. By the time WW2 was over, the Baccyflap (like just about everything else in the pipe trade) had gone up in price more than three hundred percent.

 

[uberam3rica]

Very nice!

 

[organizedmadman]

Nice bit of history @jguss Thanks! ::

 

[jkrug]

Great score and it appears to be in very good condition as well!

 

[fnord]

What a great find, OM!
I rarely smoke during the day so these Baccyflaps are pretty low on my acquisition scale, but it appears that you knocked one out of the park.
Well done.
Fnord

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

Here's mine. I've used it some, but prefer carrying a sealed baggie if I want to take more than a day or two worth. In Colorado what I had put into my baccyflap dried out in a week.

 

[kcghost]

You can order them from Anthony Harris at Anthony's Baccyflaps
They can be made from any of a number of exotic woods (your choice). The craftsmanship is exquisite. I think they run $50 - $75.

 

[geo3rge]

I bought one last year from eBay. Good little thing and handy, though it is a little worse for wear in parts. I haven't used it much but on occasions it has served its purpose. I just have it mainly as an historical 'tobacianna' memento.

 

[ssjones]

That version used Pinseal, by the way; made from the skin of baby seals it would be hard to imagine anything more calculated to enrage the politically correct sensibilities of the 21st century.

Yes, that could be awkward telling folks: "the secret is in the seal made from the skins of baby seals" Then, you better run...