Loewe Straight Grain Bulldog

[mattia76]

This just in. My first Loewe Straight Grain! I've been collecting Loewe pipes for a couple of years, but this is the first Straight Grain stamped one I've seen in the flesh. According to Cake and Dottle, these didn't appear until the 1950s. I think he's right, as the Loewe Packet information doesn't mention those designations anywhere.
I also have a couple of Centurions, including a bulldog that I like even more than this one. They are billed as being made from 100-year old briar. The fine, tight quality of the grain suggests it is possible, but I also noticed that every Centurion I have seems to be a Cross-Cut Birdseye and Cross-Grain affair, while these Straight Grains have a vertical orientation.
I would call it a Flame Grain, something like you'd see on a Peterson Rosslare these days.

 

[buroak]

My experience with Loewe is very limited, but they seem to have been like most other old English houses in that they did not care that much about grain. Personally, I prefer cross grain to straight grain - cross grain seems to make for a more robust bowl.

 

[spartanfan]

I can't add any knowledge about the brand but thanks for sharing some great pics of a nice looking bulldog.

 

[papipeguy]

Very nice bulldog. I only have one Loewe pipe. This little Cutlass acorn in a neat pipe that I bought about 40 years ago.

 

[ssjones]

That is some great looking briar! Sadly Mike (Cake&Dottle) has moved onto cigars it seems. He had a pipe list and was methodically filling out the empty spaces. I guess he snagged them all (mostly Loewe).