I owned an unsmoked 400. I can assure you the band was put on after the staining of the pipe. It may have darkened as almost all pipes do, but I wouldn't get too excited about this. But I would replace the band.
MARXMAN Pipes, Anyone?
- Thread starter shermnatman
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
I have no argument with the price. I think it is priced correctly. It's just that since I have two quality ones, I am not interested in purchasing it. However, had I not had one on hand already, who knows, I might have jumped. I just wouldn't have been as happy.
That 400 was all as tan as the fills in 1942, inside and out. None were stained a bit.
If you cut that one apart it would be just like the display CAO the Charlie Rich pipe seller feller at Springfield had, like an Oreo cookie.
“Charlie” would sell those meerschaums to the splendidly dressed and recently coffered matrons while I’d watch in awe of his sales talent.
He had a side kick, his son who’d stand to the side and do all the wrapping and packaging and ring up the sale.
Shame, there weren’t any Marxmans to sell in the late eighties and early ninties.
Let's all join hands and Scopes, why don't you lead us in a rousing rendition of "Cum Ba Ya" and let's get this good "fuzzy-wuzzy" feeling started.............
Yeh, you haven’t heard me sing. I mean squeal.Let's all join hands and Scopes, why don't you lead us in a rousing rendition of "Cum Ba Ya" and let's get this good "fuzzy-wuzzy" feeling started.............
It's been stated before, but this deep into the thread, it is worth stating again. Marxman pipes are fun to collect and are interesting for some folks. But, truth in advertising, Marxman pipes are decent smoking pipes, but the workmanship and craftsmanship is hit and miss as well as little attention is paid to grain. Some are butt ugly. Okay, many are. I have two that I smoke in rotation. I have two 400s - they are not in rotation but do get smoked. I have 6-7 unsmoked standard shaped Marxman pipes still in their boxes - to be smoked when I am in my 70s. There are many many more interesting pipes than a Marxman. And yet, when I don't want to Fu4k around and just want a decent reliable smoke, I reach for the Marxman. That says something - or maybe not. But it's true. Just ask Wayne, LOL.
Well said. I've been enjoying my Mel-o a lot. I kind of love it, but I'm excited to see how the other I got smokes.
Rest assured, if properly cleaned and oxidized, it will smoke wonderfully. I whole-heartedly recommend ozone treatments for old Marxman pipes due to the Algerian briar soaking up so much old stale odors.
Yeah, I've cleaned the heck out of mine with pipe cleaners and isopropyl, and it still doesn't taste good. I know that's not the pipes fault, I love how it smokes.
When you research American pipes, the Henry Ford was William DeMuth and the Model T equivalent was the Wellington of about 1908.And it was WDC that sold the first $3.50 luxury pipes, not Kaywoodie.
WDC is where a very young Robert Marx learned the business of pipe making.
And somehow, a very young man convinced some very old bankers to finance him during the worst depression the world has ever seen to start making pipes in the most expensive place on earth to make them, downtown Manhattan, 27 East 24th Street, NYC.
And it all worked. He got away with it slick, and died of old age.
Marx learned the secret sauce at WDC.
It was ancient, seasoned, Algerian briar.
At the time Algeria was a part of France, and sold the most briar on the markets.
The difference between a shell Dunhill and a Marxman is the Dunhill was sand blasted and the Marxman is carved.
Whoever puts a replacement stem on this can smoke the most expensive factory pipe that existed in 1942.
It must be a good smoker, or else it would not have been smoked as much as it was.
View attachment 368833When you research American pipes, the Henry Ford was William DeMuth and the Model T equivalent was the Wellington of about 1908.
And it was WDC that sold the first $3.50 luxury pipes, not Kaywoodie.
View attachment 368834
WDC is where a very young Robert Marx learned the business of pipe making.
And somehow, a very young man convinced some very old bankers to finance him during the worst depression the world has ever seen to start making pipes in the most expensive place on earth to make them, downtown Manhattan, 27 East 24th Street, NYC.
And it all worked. He got away with it slick, and died of old age.
Marx learned the secret sauce at WDC.
It was ancient, seasoned, Algerian briar.
At the time Algeria was a part of France, and sold the most briar on the markets.
The difference between a shell Dunhill and a Marxman is the Dunhill was sand blasted and the Marxman is carved.
Whoever puts a replacement stem on this can smoke the most expensive factory pipe that existed in 1942.
It must be a good smoker, or else it would not have been smoked as much as it was.
View attachment 368837
I never thought about it, but why didn't Marx do sandblasts?
If I’m not mistaken Dunhill had a patent.
And, the style was smooth pipes in America, anyway.
Apparently you don’t have any Kaywoodies from that era. Van, saying it doesn’t make it so.
I was about to say the same....haha. I thought KBB was able to bypass Dunhills patent, or maybe I'm dreaming that up?
I’ve wondered that as well. The oil curing process Dunhill used aided in the sandblasting if I recall the patent application correctly. It may also be the the rugged rustication process Marx used ensured a higher profit margin. Great question. Kaywoodie and others certainly used sandblasting from that era.
I see it was purchased. Had it not been I was thinking perhaps it might have made a fun project pipe. I am glad someone got it.
There are three benchmades in a lot on eBay but the guy won't sell them individually