Good evening folks,
I picked up this little GBD 3 or 4 weeks ago and I've finally got around to cleaning it up. I've done a fair bit of research on it but, as ever, I have a few unanswered questions and I was rather hoping that a guru or two might be able to pitch in and fill in a few gaps for me. First, the pipe:
The ferrule has French marks so I guess it was intended for their domestic market. The marks are fantastically small and I ended up buying a cheap microscope. Anyway, it payed off and I think the silver work was done by a Albert Beaufort, a Parisian silversmith who registered his mark in 1886. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find out anything more about him. When I first saw a photo of the pipe, I guessed around 1910 - the French marks aren't dated - but I've been going through the 1895 Harrod's catalog and whilst this pipe is not listed, there are a number that are very close, just not in this Dutch billiard shape.
I have not been able to find out much about the French GBDs but does anyone know if they produced their own lines specifically for the French domestic market and would that explain why I can't find it listed in any English catalogues? I'd also be very interested in how and who they used for their silver work. Is the name Albert Beaufort known in the pipe world and, if so, does anyone know when he was employed by GBD, Oppenhiemer, or Saint-Claude? I suspect this is a big ask, but I would be extremely grateful for your thoughts on the history of this pipe. Date-wise, I'm now erring towards the earlier dates - last few years of 1800s to 1910 ish, but would love to nail it down a bit closer but, unless someone has it in a catalog, I guess a retirement/death date of Albert Beaufort might do it, but I've not been able to find anything about the guy other than his registered address.
The stem is horn and still has a whisper of the GBD stamp on it, so I'm fairly confident it's the original. The shank is stamped only 'GBD' and the only silver marks are the makers mark and the purity guarantee. Going by the Harrod's catalog, the pipe may well have been in a kidney case, but there are cheaper military mounts listed without. I'm not able to determine if this is a cheaper or pricier model. Condition-wise - it is beautiful. It has been used but not a lot. Alas, the previous owner hammered the pipe against, what I guess, is the edge of an ashtray. You can see damage on the rim and there is a section where the shank and bowl meet that has taken a bit of a beating. But, the bright side, he/she didn't ream it with a blunt hatchet and the chamber is in wonderful condition.
As always, many thanks for getting to the end of another interminable, plea-ridden post by me.
Cheers,
Geoff
As always, my thanks to all.
I picked up this little GBD 3 or 4 weeks ago and I've finally got around to cleaning it up. I've done a fair bit of research on it but, as ever, I have a few unanswered questions and I was rather hoping that a guru or two might be able to pitch in and fill in a few gaps for me. First, the pipe:
The ferrule has French marks so I guess it was intended for their domestic market. The marks are fantastically small and I ended up buying a cheap microscope. Anyway, it payed off and I think the silver work was done by a Albert Beaufort, a Parisian silversmith who registered his mark in 1886. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find out anything more about him. When I first saw a photo of the pipe, I guessed around 1910 - the French marks aren't dated - but I've been going through the 1895 Harrod's catalog and whilst this pipe is not listed, there are a number that are very close, just not in this Dutch billiard shape.
I have not been able to find out much about the French GBDs but does anyone know if they produced their own lines specifically for the French domestic market and would that explain why I can't find it listed in any English catalogues? I'd also be very interested in how and who they used for their silver work. Is the name Albert Beaufort known in the pipe world and, if so, does anyone know when he was employed by GBD, Oppenhiemer, or Saint-Claude? I suspect this is a big ask, but I would be extremely grateful for your thoughts on the history of this pipe. Date-wise, I'm now erring towards the earlier dates - last few years of 1800s to 1910 ish, but would love to nail it down a bit closer but, unless someone has it in a catalog, I guess a retirement/death date of Albert Beaufort might do it, but I've not been able to find anything about the guy other than his registered address.
The stem is horn and still has a whisper of the GBD stamp on it, so I'm fairly confident it's the original. The shank is stamped only 'GBD' and the only silver marks are the makers mark and the purity guarantee. Going by the Harrod's catalog, the pipe may well have been in a kidney case, but there are cheaper military mounts listed without. I'm not able to determine if this is a cheaper or pricier model. Condition-wise - it is beautiful. It has been used but not a lot. Alas, the previous owner hammered the pipe against, what I guess, is the edge of an ashtray. You can see damage on the rim and there is a section where the shank and bowl meet that has taken a bit of a beating. But, the bright side, he/she didn't ream it with a blunt hatchet and the chamber is in wonderful condition.
As always, many thanks for getting to the end of another interminable, plea-ridden post by me.
Cheers,
Geoff
As always, my thanks to all.