James Upshall Pipes - A Discussion

[mawnansmiff]

Wow Ken! I do definitely want me an Upshall pipe but not at that price. That's three times the price of my Meiji microscope with precision engineering and ultra fine optics 8O
Back to the drawing board methinks :|
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jensen]

I have been at this Bonds of Oxford Street shop once.

And what a shop,pipes all over laying pell - mell. Upshalls, Loewes etc. etc.

You would not know where to start if you would have a look.

An adventure.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I decided to make a pest of myself and post some pics of this pipe from another of my threads here, as this seems to be where all the information on Upshall and Tilshead seems to be. Hopefully someone will be abel to shed some light on this little Tilshead. It's very small at about 5" length with about a group 2 size bowl. At first I thought that the drilling on the bowl chamber was a mistake, but when I look at the pipes profile, it looks like it was deliberate because if the chamber were moved forward and centered, it would put the chamber bottom too close to the outside of the bowl. I've also noticed that the rough nomenclature is because it looks to have been engraved rather than stamped. I have no idea of the story behind this little pipe, but I hope someone does.

 

[kenbarnes]

I love this little pipe - nice grain on the 'front' side too.

It is definitely hand-made eh?

I think that the bowl was a little over-worked on the sand-papering. I can see that Barry Jones formed the curve of the mouthpiece - it's a beautiful curve, his style, like a thumb print.

This pipe was made after 1989 because when I worked at Tilshead (until 1989) we did not use to engrave the Tilshead Pipes.

I hope it smokes well.

 

[orlandofurioso]

I'm on good terms with Karen E.
Purchased some very fine briar from her, amongst them two countryman pipes, one being a

very decent fifties Charatan Selected and two very rare Brasenose pipes, one Comoy's, one Colin Lunn.

Posting always free of charge; great packing . Immediate replies with many a kind word. So cannot complain.
I truly believe she knows next to nothing about pipes.

 

[kenbarnes]

I'm on good terms with Karen E

I am also on good terms with her.

I have recently bought one or two breathtakingly fine pipes from her and other stuff.

She openly admits to me that she knows nothing about pipes nor the pipe-business and, occasionally, I give her some advice on certain pieces that she lists on ebay

 

[mawnansmiff]

"occasionally, I give her some advice on certain pieces that she lists on ebay."
Ken, might you suggest she lowers her prices as I want another JU pipe :wink:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Hi Ken ,
Can you please again jog my memory ?
How accurate can we date a pipe with the J.U. ( so two full stops ) stem logo ?
Cheers,
Roland

 

[kenbarnes]

How accurate can we date a pipe with the J.U. ( so two full stops ) stem logo ?

I do not think I have seen the mouthpiece logo with full stops. In the 1970s-1989 the stamp (and the engraving template was JU - I would like to see a photo of one with stops if possible.

 

[orlandofurioso]

http://www.ebay.de/itm/PIPA-PIPE-PFEIFE-JAMES-UPSHALL-TILSHEAD-/132238954242?hash=item1eca0e4f02%3Ag%3ACLEAAOSw-89ZT6XG&nma=true&si=SW1mt%252BfOH9au6KfKtBsura4s8OM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Here you are Ken
Hard to tell if it is stamped or engraved ? It is G graded pipe b.t.w.
Secondarily I think it is one full stop.

 

[kenbarnes]

Firstly, I cannot see a grade letter on the shank are you sure it is a G grade? This is one from the early days possibly 1980-1981 ish. I had forgotten that the first stamp die we used had a dot in between the J and the U.

This has been hand stamped both on the shank and mouthpiece. I am confused as I cannot see the grade to the left of the James Upshall. If it is a G grade, it is a real bargain win at that price.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Thank you Ken, is it to your liking ?

I was the only bidder.

I enquired and the seller mailed me it was a C grade ( third photo on top of the shank ) Since there were no C graded JU's , I take it for a G , also considering the wonderful straight grain.

Did you cut it ? I love the shape .

 

[ssjones]

Interesting, there is a C stamped on top of the shank.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Hi Al
Yes, it is interesting, I take it for a faint stamped G .

 

[kenbarnes]

I love the shape, the gliding mouthpiece and the grain and I am sure it is from 1981 but I am still baffled as to the grade. We never stamped a pipes grade on the upper side of the shank and never near the fitting. It certainly looks like a 'c' stamp (which we did not have) and I am thinking this is a sample piece which we sent to our new Italian agent in 1981 called Mario Lubinski and that this sample was to show the finish that we could provide him. I think that there may be a small flaw at the bottom of the shank which indicates that it was a sample. Also I think that it was in an 'S' finish originally (red finish) although I could be wrong. It is still a lovely piece nonetheless. Very interesting!

 

[orlandofurioso]

There is also a small flaw, or scatch, on the top of the shank near the bowl, but I love the graining, who carved it you reckon ? It is very intriguing, I love the shape and I cannot take my mind off it !

I will ask the seller how he acquired it.
Could it be a one off pipe then ? If so I guess it would make it something very special .

If your memory is that good Ken, I envy you for it

 

[craiginthecorn]

I've seen a number of comments stating that no pipe bearing the name James Upshall would ever have a fill. Does that ban on fills that extend to Tilshead, which doesn't actually bear the name James Upshall (despite some have the JU stamp on the stem)? I bought a Tilshead bent, which has not yet arrived, that looks in the photos to have a number of small fills. Another contributor to this thread mentioned that his Tilshead had a small fill.
Here's a link to the pipe I purchased on eBay: Click HERE

 

[jpmcwjr]

A quick look for those who don't want to click through:

Agree it certainly looks as if those might be fills.

 

[kenbarnes]

Towards the end of Barry's time at Upshall working for Moti, he was told to strip, re-work and finish certain bowls and pipes that were put in front of him and to stamp them up as Tilsheads or ..... He told me this the other day when I met up with him. Such a sad thing to hear - heart-breaking. One of the finest pipe-makers in England subjected to 're working' some cheap pipes or bowls with fills in is something that is totally against all he strived for during his fifty five years as a craftsman.

 

[craiginthecorn]

Thanks very much for the reply, Ken. Well, this is the very first time I'm hoping for a pipe with sand pits!! If these are fills, they're not even very nice ones. The color is too light. We'll find out tomorrow. The pipe is waiting for me at my office.
Can you state without equivocation, Ken, that no fills would have been used on a Tilshead -- at least during your tenure?
The story about Barry is truly sad. How demoralizing that must have felt for him.