jguss can give you their entire history. I'll look to see if I can find the information that he sent me.
Interesting Completed Ebay Auctions - British Pipes
- Thread starter ssjones
- Start date
If you can’t, I’ve got it somewhere too. I have a hallmarked one, and it is one of my favourite pipes
Al, That one's right there in your wheelhouse................. It's got Al Jones written all over it.........
Nice one!!............
I was hoping that Jon would chime in. I'll contact him off-list if he doesn't reply.
Ahi-Ka had saved it as a PDF and PM'd me (Thank you!) Jon is incredible of course. No mention of the Knotty Pine grade nor the stem logo. From that doc, as I had surmissed, it looks like this one was probably made late in their history - so late 40's to the 1955 shuttering of the business. I can't find any other example of a sandblasted Delacour pipe. I'll do the restore over the weekend.
Thanks for the kind words Al. That PDF was originally made for Michael Lindner back in the day when he still had The Pipe Rack and was offering amazing old British pipes.
I'm on a personal trip to Boston for the next few days but will try to look into this next week if I can free up the time. For now I can say offhand that I'm unfamiliar with the Knotty Pine and a quick scan of Fancy Goods Brand Directories came up dry, but of course the directories aren't always complete and other sources may tell a different story. In any case Delacour Brothers definitely had at least one other sandblast pipe. By 1930 at the latest they made the DBL De Luxe in a sandblast finish that they called the Sand Carved. See below from Tobacco World Annual (1936):
I think the "Delacour" was a line, just as "D.B.L." was--at least this is the suggestion in a pre-fire catalog. Sandblasts were on offer, though nothing named "Knotty"---notwithstanding the fact that the catalog may not have been comprehensive. There are, however, images of sandblasted "Delacour" pipes in the pre-fire catalog.
The question, I think, is whether "Delacour" pipes were produced by Delco Briars, or whether we might say with some certainty that the "Delacour" were pre-1935.
The original eBay listing shows a "Knotty" but I can't quite see a "Pine" underneath it. There may be some sandblast over the stamp. Does it in fact say "Pine" and not "Pipe?" I can only see the words "Knotty" on the eBay listing and none other than "Delacour" in the post above.
I'll try to unpack my issues of Tobacco and have a look at what Delco Briars may have listed as having been on offer.
The question, I think, is whether "Delacour" pipes were produced by Delco Briars, or whether we might say with some certainty that the "Delacour" were pre-1935.
The original eBay listing shows a "Knotty" but I can't quite see a "Pine" underneath it. There may be some sandblast over the stamp. Does it in fact say "Pine" and not "Pipe?" I can only see the words "Knotty" on the eBay listing and none other than "Delacour" in the post above.
I'll try to unpack my issues of Tobacco and have a look at what Delco Briars may have listed as having been on offer.
Good question. I do know that the name Delacour, as well as the names DBL, Delco, and Delfit were all controlled by Delco Briars Ltd from 1938 on. but as you say to determine whether Delacour was actually stamped on pipes we'd need to look at contemporary trade advertisements or articles. Unfortunately in my case most of what I have that might speak to that question is inaccessible for a while.
It is simply "Knotty". The shape number appears to be 439. I finished the pipe this evening - I hope it smokes as good as it looks!
Removing the oxidation from the stem revealed two stacked brass dots - one slightly smaller.
I'll see if I can add this example to the Pipepedia page, it is pretty sparse.
Removing the oxidation from the stem revealed two stacked brass dots - one slightly smaller.
I'll see if I can add this example to the Pipepedia page, it is pretty sparse.
This has to set a record for the most money ever paid for one of the 1962 Barling's Make pipes.
Note the 4 digit model number starting with a 6.
BARLING'S MAKE SPECIAL PIPE VINTAGE UNSMOKED | eBay
MARKED: BARLING'S MAKE SPECIAL. CONDITION: UNSMOKED. 1 PIPE OR ENTIRE COLLECTIONS. MAKE SURE TO SUPER SIZE THE PHOTOS FOR A BETTER VIEW. LENGTH: 6 3/8".
www.ebay.com
Note the 4 digit model number starting with a 6.
Can anyone help me make sense of the star next to the nomenclature?
Vintage DUNHILL estate pipe 113 F/T | eBay
<p>Vintage DUNHILL estate pipe 113 F/T. </p><p>Very good used condition </p>
www.ebay.com
I personally think that that shape of star indicates a certain authorized retailer stamped it to know they sold it. If there is no consensus, I would go with that.Can anyone help me make sense of the star next to the nomenclature?
Vintage DUNHILL estate pipe 113 F/T | eBay
<p>Vintage DUNHILL estate pipe 113 F/T. </p><p>Very good used condition </p>www.ebay.com
John Loring indicated that if a pipe was replaced while under warranty the replacement pipe would be stamped with a star such as this.Can anyone help me make sense of the star next to the nomenclature?
Vintage DUNHILL estate pipe 113 F/T | eBay
<p>Vintage DUNHILL estate pipe 113 F/T. </p><p>Very good used condition </p>www.ebay.com
I believe the Dunhill Paris shop stamped the pipes with a star.
Thanks for the replies guys. I’ve looked through some older threads on here too, and see the same ideas mentioned.
I think it’s neat to have a smooth pipe from WW2, as it seems most were shells. I like the idea of someone on leave from the front taking their abused pipe into the shop for a replacement
I think it’s neat to have a smooth pipe from WW2, as it seems most were shells. I like the idea of someone on leave from the front taking their abused pipe into the shop for a replacement
Absolutely. Generally speaking as the war progressed English pipemakers were forced to use increasingly mediocre briar and sandblasting became a favorite way of hiding defects. Somewhere I have a post-war article that refers explicitly to this phenomenon.
The copy I made of the article is a bit tough to read so here's a transcription of the relevant parts. It's from the June 1953 issue of Tobacco:
During the war the "T.C." pipes were often sandblasted because the sandblasting, plus a dark coloured stain, could well hide a poor bowl.
Earlier in the same article is an explanation of T.C. that adds insight into wartime conditions in the industry:
During the war, when we saw a number of these [sandblasted pipes] on the market, the "T.C." pipes (Trade Controlled) were often treated in this way [i.e. sandblasted], and stained black. Briar was then obtainable on quota only, administered by the Board of Trade, and a percentage of bowls so allocated had to be resold at controlled prices, so these were distinguished by the letters "T.C." followed by the price.
So the general idea is pretty obvious; briar was in short supply and subject to allocation. To make the most of what they could get poor bowls were sandblasted, and even worse ones were stained black too. Note that this is not to say that all sandblasted pipes of the era covered grievous flaws, just that many did and for logical supply-related reasons.
A couple of interesting auctions this weekend;
Mark Irwin sold this Eire-era 999 that, curiously in an Author shape. I've never seen a 999 in this shape.
And yet another GBD with ornate silver work and fitted case.
Mark Irwin sold this Eire-era 999 that, curiously in an Author shape. I've never seen a 999 in this shape.
Peterson 999 Chubby Author / Eire Era (1940-42) RARE | eBay
Peterson 999 Chubby Author / Eire Era RARE. A super-rarity for Pete Geeks only, the 999 Chubby Author from the earlyÉ ire era (1938-1948). After the original Patent era shapes, the next rarest shapes are the two made during WWII, the 999 Author and the 777 Dublin ‘Bulldog.’.
www.ebay.com
And yet another GBD with ornate silver work and fitted case.
GBD LATE 1800's CASED CUTTY ESTATE PIPE W/ORNATE STERLING SILVER CAP | eBay
Usually they are hallmarked but for whatever reason this one is not. The shank is hearty and adorned with more brilliant and ornate Sterling Silver work showing amazing floral patterns and also stamped "GBD".
www.ebay.com