Interesting Ebay find.

[mawnansmiff]

Noah Webster has a lot to answer for in my book. Samuel Johnson, now there was a lexicographer who knew his onions if not his pasterns (look it up....preferably in a Samuel Johnson dictionary) :worship:
As for the blank post not my fault I'm afraid. When I hit 'send' for my original post I got a message telling me there was a problem with the server so I pressed 'send' again. I then realised what had happened and the only way I could see to correct matters was to delete the repeated text.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Better taste on our part..."
Ha! You have to be joking, one only has to look at that goon who appears to be heading for the White House. And you say you have taste :crazy:
As we say over here, "only in America" :nana:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Well folks, the cased set arrived this morning! They really are beauties though alas lacquered as I suspected. Strangely given their source, they are only stamped with "London Made", no manufacturer nor shape numbers, odd methinks.
My guess that they might have been the late Warren Mitchell's 'pipe smoker of the year' prize alas was not correct. The prize was won by one Mr. R.S.Bone (of Coventry) for the Amateur Photographer Magazine's 'Men Of Action Smoke Pipes' competition. There are magazine clippings of the event plus a signed letter from the PR consultant at the Briar Pipe Trade Association Stafford Picton. Does he ring any bells Ken?
Photos will follow sometime on the morrow with size details in the hope someone might know who made them. All have gorgeous grain with most being flame/straight but some birdseye too.
Interestingly, though I see no bowl coating I do spy lots of tiny white crystals in some of the bowls so will also get my compound microscope out to look closer. Any idea what they may be? My guess is sugars that have leached out of the briar these last 48 years.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Right then, after much ado here is what I have....first off a bent billiard 14 1/2 cm long..nice grain, particularly on the last pic.

A bulldog at 13 1/2 cm...

Next up is an oval shanked Canadian(?)@ 14cm...

This time it's an oval shanked Dublin, 13 1/2 cm possibly my favourite...

Here is a slightly bent prince at 14 1/2 cm...

Crystals in the bowl...

A straight billiard at 14 cm with gorgeous birdseye...

And finally a pot at 14cm...

And the last pic is of the only stamping on the pipes...

So folks, not looking for 'oohs' and 'aahhs' just hoping someone might have a manufacturer in mind.
Regards,
Jay.
PS: If these photos don't show up I'm going out to shoot myself!

 

[kenbarnes]

I seem to recall that Derek Merton of Merton Pipes and his son Roger used to be part of organising these events and would readily supply any pipes etc that were needed. One or two of the shapes remind me of pipe bowls coming from St. Claude and one or two remind me of Dunhill shapes possibly also from France. I would guess either from Merton or from John Adler from Oppenheimer Pipes who, I think was Predient of the Worshipful Company of Pipemakers and Tobacco Blenders and had influence around events put on by the BPTA at this time.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well, I'll oooh and aaaah on the Dublin; sorry no actual info to impart as to provenance.
I think the Prince shape has to have that small bend....

 

[mawnansmiff]

Hi Ken, thanks for your input. I have sent you a PM by the way.
JPM, I never knew a prince had to have a bend. Learn something new everyday....several times a day when I visit here
Having just looked at my photos again I shudder at how they look so red/orange. Must have been the flash. If I were to keep any of these as smokers then the first thing I would do would be to sand them back to bare briar and re-stain a mid/deep brown.
Regards,
Jay.