Lane Era Charatan's Make 'Special" 4 Extra Large

[Kottan]

After reading the articles it appears your pipe is pre-Lane era. Probably post-War to 1960. Like mine pictured below, the missing CP may mean the pipe was re-stemed or they just they missed stamping it.

Dating Charatans is another term for being ready to go crazy ? .

'Reuben era' (1910-1962) was my very first thought, too. But I have not found the three-digit shape number 215 (the Captain) in the Charatan shapelists before 1962. According to my (of course incomplete) sources, it first appears in a flyer after 1965. (So after the introduction of the DC stem) There it is shown with a tapered or more precisely with an oval stem. The same with the flyers of 1970 and 1975-6? The CP logo has probably been polished off the stem over the years, sometimes you can just make it out with a magnifying glass and favorable light.

The absence of the Lane £ is, as you said, not necessarily a sure indication that the pipe was made after the Dunnhill acquisition. (this is where the CP logo would be helpful). I have quite a few Charatans that don't have the £ logo because they were made for the European market.

Yes so I guess the pipe from 7charb was made between 1969 and 1977.

@7charb have you tried to contact @kenbarnes? I think he would be the most qualified forum member to answer such questions when it comes to Charatan.

 

[Ziggywm]

Dating Charatans is another term for being ready to go crazy ? .

'Reuben era' (1910-1962) was my very first thought, too. But I have not found the three-digit shape number 215 (the Captain) in the Charatan shapelists before 1962. According to my (of course incomplete) sources, it first appears in a flyer after 1965. (So after the introduction of the DC stem) There it is shown with a tapered or more precisely with an oval stem. The same with the flyers of 1970 and 1975-6? The CP logo has probably been polished off the stem over the years, sometimes you can just make it out with a magnifying glass and favorable light.

The absence of the Lane £ is, as you said, not necessarily a sure indication that the pipe was made after the Dunnhill acquisition. (this is where the CP logo would be helpful). I have quite a few Charatans that don't have the £ logo because they were made for the European market.

Yes so I guess the pipe from 7charb was made between 1969 and 1977.

@7charb have you tried to contact @kenbarnes? I think he would be the most qualified forum member to answer such questions when it comes to Charatan.

That's probably a good and reasonable time period guess. Then there is my "Perfection" billard w/o the 'L' and all of the stamping consistent with Reuben era and no shape # or CP. Since it was never smoked I don't think the oval tapered bit is a replacement, but who knows; might have broken when shipped to some pipe store. I'm not sure when Charatan introduced the Perfection grade. I know it was to irritate Dunhill. By the looks of the pipe I am guessing 1960s. If only pipes could talk!

 

[Humblepipe]

That's probably a good and reasonable time period guess. Then there is my "Perfection" billard w/o the 'L' and all of the stamping consistent with Reuben era and no shape # or CP. Since it was never smoked I don't think the oval tapered bit is a replacement, but who knows; might have broken when shipped to some pipe store. I'm not sure when Charatan introduced the Perfection grade. I know it was to irritate Dunhill. By the looks of the pipe I am guessing 1960s. If only pipes could talk!View attachment 63269View attachment 63270

Ziggy, the grain on this one is nice/unique. I see why the put this one under the "Perfection" moniker.

 

[Humblepipe]

Dating Charatans is another term for being ready to go crazy ? .

'Reuben era' (1910-1962) was my very first thought, too. But I have not found the three-digit shape number 215 (the Captain) in the Charatan shapelists before 1962. According to my (of course incomplete) sources, it first appears in a flyer after 1965. (So after the introduction of the DC stem) There it is shown with a tapered or more precisely with an oval stem. The same with the flyers of 1970 and 1975-6? The CP logo has probably been polished off the stem over the years, sometimes you can just make it out with a magnifying glass and favorable light.

The absence of the Lane £ is, as you said, not necessarily a sure indication that the pipe was made after the Dunnhill acquisition. (this is where the CP logo would be helpful). I have quite a few Charatans that don't have the £ logo because they were made for the European market.

Yes so I guess the pipe from 7charb was made between 1969 and 1977.

@7charb have you tried to contact @kenbarnes? I think he would be the most qualified forum member to answer such questions when it comes to Charatan.

Thanks for this! I might PM Ken. He has helped me previously. He is always very kind and his knowledge about Charatan's is unparalleled. Although, I am impressed with what I have learned here from you, Ziggy, and others in this thread.

 

[ChuckMijo]

I believe I read somewhere the perfection line came out in 1974. Think I read that on here from Ken Barnes. I can’t remember.

 

[Ziggywm]

I believe I read somewhere the perfection line came out in 1974. Think I read that on here from Ken Barnes. I can’t remember.

Thanks! I will research it more. And, it could be this pipe was for the English market so not stamped with the 'L'.

 

[Ziggywm]

I believe I read somewhere the perfection line came out in 1974. Think I read that on here from Ken Barnes. I can’t remember.

After reading some more Perfection was a Lane addition that started mid-60s while the "heat" toward Dunhill fueled the Perfection joke. I need to do more research. I just have it that with Lane the classifications grew.

 

[ChuckMijo]

Post in thread 'The Worst British Pipes To Date?'
The Worst British Pipes To Date? :: British Pipes - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/the-worst-british-pipes-to-date.74585/post-36123892

 

[ChuckMijo]

This is where I got the date

 

[Kottan]

I believe I read somewhere the perfection line came out in 1974. Think I read that on here from Ken Barnes. I can’t remember.

Yes I remember that too. Before I met @kenbarnes here, I had a rather distorted picture of Charatans. This is due to the fact that there is very little literature about Charatan and the information given by the different authors sometimes differs greatly from each other. In his posts he has corrected a lot of this or told new facts that were unknown until now. Keep in mind, that in former days, it wasn't that easy to get information about your ‘fetish', there was no Internet

Ken recommended me a Russian author who wrote a rather comprehensive article about Charatan. Unfortunately, it is only available in Russian. So you have to use a translator.

http://brbpipe.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/T-shop_1-2011-12_56-69_3.pdf

I have translated the passage regarding the Perfection grade, it shows that‘ second Lane era' is correct.

[…]

Perfection

The closest relative of the previous one in terms of price. However, it was born in the Second Lane Era for the purpose of expanding the lower price ranges. Also a densely stained tube, but not a beet color, but a walnut one. Also served as a launching pad for beginners. Consequently, almost exclusively catalog shapes. The only thing out of the ordinary is the dimension.
[…]

In the retail price list from 1970 it isn't still mentioned

Scroll …

Estervals Pipe House - https://www.tecon-gmbh.de/info_pages.php?pages_id=121

Below is a screenshot from the 1975 or 76 Lane flyer. You'll see the price range of a ‘Perfection'

The Russian gentleman named Roman Bokov is a former Biologist and Journalist who loves British pipes and now does pipe restorations.

Estate pipes - бриаровые трубки Романа Бобкова - http://brbpipe.ru/

@ziggy don' t be disappointed, that your beautiful Perfection is not a ‘Rueben' but it is handmade (not a catalog shape) which was not the rule for this grade. On a sunny day we'll solve the mystery of the unstamped stem. The fit looks perfect.

 

[Kottan]

Post in thread 'The Worst British Pipes To Date?'
The Worst British Pipes To Date? :: British Pipes - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/the-worst-british-pipes-to-date.74585/post-36123892

It's worth reading the whole thread. It contains a lot of information about charatans that you will hardly find elsewhere. If you love charatans and want to learn more about their history, this is THE thread. I would like to see that this knowledge is not lost and in the end only a few myths remain.

 

[ChuckMijo]

I have been slowly reading up on Charatan. I own 2 now. They can be a bugger to date. I’m still surprised they don’t fetch better money. I know those weird carved ones do, and the high grade ones. But you can pick up a lane era or even Ruban era (sometimes) relatively cheap. Under 200.

 

[Humblepipe]

Congrats! Please post the other 4 after restoring.

Here 3 additional Charatan's Make recently restored:

83DC Belvedere Calabash


74X Bent Acorn:



92DC Dublin

 

[ChuckMijo]

Beautiful pipes!!!

 

[Humblepipe]

Beautiful pipes!!!

Thanks, @chuck! I especially like the looks of that bent acorn.

 

[Ziggywm]

Yes I remember that too. Before I met @kenbarnes here, I had a rather distorted picture of Charatans. This is due to the fact that there is very little literature about Charatan and the information given by the different authors sometimes differs greatly from each other. In his posts he has corrected a lot of this or told new facts that were unknown until now. Keep in mind, that in former days, it wasn't that easy to get information about your ‘fetish', there was no Internet

Ken recommended me a Russian author who wrote a rather comprehensive article about Charatan. Unfortunately, it is only available in Russian. So you have to use a translator.

http://brbpipe.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/T-shop_1-2011-12_56-69_3.pdf

I have translated the passage regarding the Perfection grade, it shows that‘ second Lane era' is correct.

[…]

Perfection

The closest relative of the previous one in terms of price. However, it was born in the Second Lane Era for the purpose of expanding the lower price ranges. Also a densely stained tube, but not a beet color, but a walnut one. Also served as a launching pad for beginners. Consequently, almost exclusively catalog shapes. The only thing out of the ordinary is the dimension.
[…]

In the retail price list from 1970 it isn't still mentioned

Scroll …

Estervals Pipe House - https://www.tecon-gmbh.de/info_pages.php?pages_id=121

Below is a screenshot from the 1975 or 76 Lane flyer. You'll see the price range of a ‘Perfection'

The Russian gentleman named Roman Bokov is a former Biologist and Journalist who loves British pipes and now does pipe restorations.

Estate pipes - бриаровые трубки Романа Бобкова - http://brbpipe.ru/

@ziggy don' t be disappointed, that your beautiful Perfection is not a ‘Rueben' but it is handmade (not a catalog shape) which was not the rule for this grade. On a sunny day we'll solve the mystery of the unstamped stem. The fit looks perfect.

View attachment 63448

Thank you very much for your research! Oh, I'm never disappointed in a pipe surrounding pedigree; How they smoke is more important. I haven't smoked this one, yet, so I can't comment on that. I have plenty of pipes in the rotation now. However, I know that Charatan used and aged top quality wood so should smoke well. Plus, I really like the size & shape of this billard. The billard is the hardest standard shape to make well. I know, I've tried! Once again, thanks.

 

[Ziggywm]

Yes I remember that too. Before I met @kenbarnes here, I had a rather distorted picture of Charatans. This is due to the fact that there is very little literature about Charatan and the information given by the different authors sometimes differs greatly from each other. In his posts he has corrected a lot of this or told new facts that were unknown until now. Keep in mind, that in former days, it wasn't that easy to get information about your ‘fetish', there was no Internet

Ken recommended me a Russian author who wrote a rather comprehensive article about Charatan. Unfortunately, it is only available in Russian. So you have to use a translator.

http://brbpipe.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/T-shop_1-2011-12_56-69_3.pdf

I have translated the passage regarding the Perfection grade, it shows that‘ second Lane era' is correct.

[…]

Perfection

The closest relative of the previous one in terms of price. However, it was born in the Second Lane Era for the purpose of expanding the lower price ranges. Also a densely stained tube, but not a beet color, but a walnut one. Also served as a launching pad for beginners. Consequently, almost exclusively catalog shapes. The only thing out of the ordinary is the dimension.
[…]

In the retail price list from 1970 it isn't still mentioned

Scroll …

Estervals Pipe House - https://www.tecon-gmbh.de/info_pages.php?pages_id=121

Below is a screenshot from the 1975 or 76 Lane flyer. You'll see the price range of a ‘Perfection'

The Russian gentleman named Roman Bokov is a former Biologist and Journalist who loves British pipes and now does pipe restorations.

Estate pipes - бриаровые трубки Романа Бобкова - http://brbpipe.ru/

@ziggy don' t be disappointed, that your beautiful Perfection is not a ‘Rueben' but it is handmade (not a catalog shape) which was not the rule for this grade. On a sunny day we'll solve the mystery of the unstamped stem. The fit looks perfect.

View attachment 63448

After reading the articles you kindly sent the mystery of the number '4' being the only number stamped on the shank makes sense. In one of the catalogs you posted its a size number for extra large. There is no shape number. I feel certain it was made for the English market. Makes me wonder "Where ye been, Laddie - how'd ye get to the States?" ?
These are things I will never know.

 

[Ziggywm]

Yes I remember that too. Before I met @kenbarnes here, I had a rather distorted picture of Charatans. This is due to the fact that there is very little literature about Charatan and the information given by the different authors sometimes differs greatly from each other. In his posts he has corrected a lot of this or told new facts that were unknown until now. Keep in mind, that in former days, it wasn't that easy to get information about your ‘fetish', there was no Internet

Ken recommended me a Russian author who wrote a rather comprehensive article about Charatan. Unfortunately, it is only available in Russian. So you have to use a translator.

http://brbpipe.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/T-shop_1-2011-12_56-69_3.pdf

I have translated the passage regarding the Perfection grade, it shows that‘ second Lane era' is correct.

[…]

Perfection

The closest relative of the previous one in terms of price. However, it was born in the Second Lane Era for the purpose of expanding the lower price ranges. Also a densely stained tube, but not a beet color, but a walnut one. Also served as a launching pad for beginners. Consequently, almost exclusively catalog shapes. The only thing out of the ordinary is the dimension.
[…]

In the retail price list from 1970 it isn't still mentioned

Scroll …

Estervals Pipe House - https://www.tecon-gmbh.de/info_pages.php?pages_id=121

Below is a screenshot from the 1975 or 76 Lane flyer. You'll see the price range of a ‘Perfection'

The Russian gentleman named Roman Bokov is a former Biologist and Journalist who loves British pipes and now does pipe restorations.

Estate pipes - бриаровые трубки Романа Бобкова - http://brbpipe.ru/

@ziggy don' t be disappointed, that your beautiful Perfection is not a ‘Rueben' but it is handmade (not a catalog shape) which was not the rule for this grade. On a sunny day we'll solve the mystery of the unstamped stem. The fit looks perfect.

View attachment 63448

After reading the articles you kindly sent the mystery of the number '4' being the only number stamped on the shank makes sense. In one of the catalogs you posted its a size number for extra large. There is no shape number. I feel certain it was made for the English market. Makes me wonder "Where ye been, Laddie - how'd ye get to the States?" ?
These are things I will never know.

 

[Kottan]

Here 3 additional Charatan's Make recently restored:

83DC Belvedere Calabash
View attachment 63554

74X Bent Acorn:

View attachment 63555

92DC Dublin

View attachment 63556

7charb you do a very good job restoring pipes. You seem to put a lot of love into it. Some estates that came (especially) from ebay to me looked really bad. If they are just dirty it doesn't bother me that much but to be honest, I have also bought some pipes that had stronger signs of use because I absolutely wanted to have the shape in my collection. The last one of this category was an old Charatan 58 (The Newmarket).

 

[Humblepipe]

7charb you do a very good job restoring pipes. You seem to put a lot of love into it. Some estates that came (especially) from ebay to me looked really bad. If they are just dirty it doesn't bother me that much but to be honest, I have also bought some pipes that had stronger signs of use because I absolutely wanted to have the shape in my collection. The last one of this category was an old Charatan 58 (The Newmarket).

Thanks so much, Kottan. Very kind words... I do love working on pipes. I do have a reverence for the old souls. I am very sentimental that way. It is more of a hobby for me than anything. It does allow me try a myriad of different pipes and that makes it rewarding. I have to acknowledge that their forum members vastly more skilled than I at pipe restoration.

I looked up the 58. It is a very elegant shaped pipe. And now, of course, I will search for one that I might acquire. LOL.