Is There a Specific Era That You Won't Buy a Pipe From?

[mikethompson]

Is there a period of time when there just weren't any decent pipes being made? Like we all hear the newer Dunhill / White Spots are no good, and the best are 19xx-xx.
I'm thinking maybe during WWII? Or the early Depression years?
Or was there always at least one major manufacturer making great pipes no matter the time?

 

[dmcmtk]

I'm thinking maybe during WWII? Or the early Depression years?
Or was there always at least one major manufacturer making great pipes no matter the time?

Great English pipes were still made in the 1930's, and during WWII (although in greatly reduced numbers). The Comoy's Blue Riband was first released in the late 1930's, and Dunhill was making some beautiful Shells during the WWII period, they're actually somewhat rare because of the decreased production.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Is it true that Dunhill used strawberry wood for some of their war era pipes?

 

[kola]

Newer Petersons.
enuf' sed'

 

[sablebrush52]

I tend to avoid pipes from the Mesozoic era.

 

[mso489]

Nothing from the future...yet.

 

[tavol]

Newer Petersons.
enuf' sed'

It's the same for me unfortunately. I love the history and the look of Peterson pipes but I've owned three, one is well engineered, one is very poorly drilled and the last had a bent stem that had been so poorly bent it wouldn't pass a pipe cleaner. Burned too often to want another

 

[cosmicfolklore]

As much as I love Hilson and Stanwells, I am not as crazy about the new Texan owned Hilson pipes, nor the Italian Stanwells. I don't hate either of these pipes, new. I just don't like either of these enough to buy them.

 

[mikethompson]

I don't mean a specific brand but rather a specific time. I suppose there are always carvers in some part of the world doing excellent work, but did large factory made pipes ever have a period where nothing was really good?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

did large factory made pipes ever have a period where nothing was really good?

I've never heard of such. Why do you ask? Have you heard of an era such as this?
You never really good things about 18thc pipes ::

 

[fishingandpipes]

Who sez the White Spot pipes are no good? I think they had a rough patch in the 80s or so (the one 80s era pipe I had was certainly a dog) but all my White Spots smoke great.

 

[mikethompson]

I only ask out of curiosity. If there are Golden Ages of Pipe Maker ABC, do they necessarily overlap with DEF, or GHI? Is there a void period? Just early morning musings, nothing more.

 

[crashthegrey]

I tend to avoid pipes from the eighties. I find people always saying this company or that company was going through a slump in the eighties, to the point that I distrust all of those pipes.

 

[donjgiles]

Perhaps we could turn it around and ask what were the best eras of certain makers, for example, registration era Stanwells.

 

[ray47]

I agree that the current Peterson pipes aren't worth it, especially the bents.

 

[tschiraldi]

I think (almost) every factory had its golden years and dog years. Pre-80's for Comoy's, Pre-1969 for Dunhill, Pre-transition (and very early transition) Barlings, Pre-Dunhill Charatans, etc. The one exception, to me, is Castello. The newer (Kino Era) Castello pipes are (again, to me) every bit as good as the old (Carlo Scotti Era) pipes, maybe even better! I think the new Stanwells are as good as the ones made in Denmark. Peterson has already been covered. Savinelli pipes are still good quality, I just hate the ones made for 6mm or 9mm inserts/filters. I love the old Non-Pareils and new and old Autographs. I don't think there was an era where ALL pipes took a dive. Its a brand by brand thing.
Tim

 

[Chasing Embers]

Who sez the White Spot pipes are no good? I think they had a rough patch in the 80s or so (the one 80s era pipe I had was certainly a dog) but all my White Spots smoke great.

The 80s were before they were rebranded as White Spots. I think that was 2011.

 

[ashdigger]

One man's dog is another man's treasure