MARXMAN Pipes, Anyone?

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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
7,173
39,584
72
Sydney, Australia
Just keep in mind there's still a lot of Marx mysteries I call them, makes this fun... for me anyway. Hopefully some of you too. If I could find other articles about them I will share, as I research them heavily.
Yeah man please do. ive definitely got the Marxman bug now so I’ll be looking for anything I can read.
@Briar Lee
Lookee what you done 😱

Hands up those of you who have heard of Pipes by Lee and Marxman BEFORE the counsel from Humansville started his series of enthusiastic posts ?
 

Choatecav

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2023
687
2,041
Middle Tennessee
@Briar Lee
Lookee what you done 😱

Hands up those of you who have heard of Pipes by Lee and Marxman BEFORE the counsel from Humansville started his series of enthusiastic posts ?
Amen to this..... Yet another victim of the siren's song of Briar Lee...... ;)

As to Adam.... you made a great deal, my friend. Enjoy your bulldog.
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
5,609
15,793
Humansville Missouri
But wait!

The Marxman catalogs that listed Jumbo shaped pipes, always had four size grade prices,

$5, $7.50, $10, and $15

Which correspond to A, B, C, but I’ve never seen a D.

Not ever.

Although I own maybe a half a dozen super size Marxman pipes bigger than any C size but smaller than my two 400 pipes.

Why no D stamps on the $15 Big Boy size?
 
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telescopes

Pipe Dreamer and Star Gazer
But wait!

The Marxman catalogs that listed Jumbo shaped pipes, always had four size grade prices,

$5, $7.50, $10, and $15

Which correspond to A, B, C, but I’ve never seen a D.

Not ever.

Although I own maybe a half a dozen super size Marxman pipes bigger than any C size but smaller than my two 400 pipes.

Why no D stamps on the $15 Big Boy size?
I had one but sold it.
 

NE Pipeteer

Might Stick Around
It is my opinion that Marxman stamps were more like suggestions than standardized objective ratings. As an example, here are three pipes. All larger with the top pipe wearing only the MARXMAN over IMPORTED BRIAR, the Dublin sports the JUMBO stamp with no letter (A, B, C, etc...), while the bottom pipe is stamped JUMBO with a C. The second photo shows the JUMBO C below a large lovat looking rather like a Panzer tank.3 pipes 2 Jumbos.JPG2 large Marxmans.JPG
 
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Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
5,609
15,793
Humansville Missouri
It is my opinion that Marxman stamps were more like suggestions than standardized objective ratings. As an example, here are three pipes. All larger with the top pipe wearing only the MARXMAN over IMPORTED BRIAR, the Dublin sports the JUMBO stamp with no letter (A, B, C, etc...), while the bottom pipe is stamped JUMBO with a C. The second photo shows the JUMBO C below a large lovat looking rather like a Panzer tank.View attachment 377268View attachment 377269

But how do you tell the $15 size Jumbos?

IMG_8647.jpeg


Here’s my humble guess—

Those ads showed the $10 size handmade Jumbo marked C

There were $5 Jumbo grade pipes marked A

$7.50 Jumbo grades marked B

But at the $15 level there usually was no size stamp

Huge perfect smooth Marxman Big Boy with fat saddle stem and no marks except Marxman

IMG_8646.jpeg

This pipe is barely smoked, less than a dozen or two times. It was light tan when I unwrapped it. It’s made of the finest briar found at 27 West 24 10 NYC NY

IMG_8656.jpeg
 
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Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
5,609
15,793
Humansville Missouri
Not sure if I've seen this ad or not. Has a Leaf Carved and rare Mel-o poker. Oh, it just seems like these wild shapes never turn up do they? View attachment 377207

What I like are the machine shaped Jumbo pipes from when the Louvin Brothers were singing about Korea.

Look at this $5 Jumbo Korean War Special I just snagged for $20!

IMG_8648.jpegIMG_8649.jpegIMG_8650.jpegIMG_8651.jpegIMG_8652.jpegIMG_8653.jpegIMG_8654.jpegIMG_8655.jpeg

That very pipe could have been mailed for Christmas 1952 to Korea, and treasured all these years.



I wonder how much Mastercraft Inc paid Bob and Helen Marx in 1953 for the right to peddle pipes like that one above?
 

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towhee89

Can't Leave
Sep 28, 2021
319
1,097
Morganton, North Carolina
What I like are the machine shaped Jumbo pipes from when the Louvin Brothers were singing about Korea.

Look at this $5 Jumbo Korean War Special I just snagged for $20!

View attachment 377274View attachment 377275View attachment 377276View attachment 377280View attachment 377281View attachment 377282View attachment 377283View attachment 377284

That very pipe could have been mailed for Christmas 1952 to Korea, and treasured all these years.



I wonder how much Mastercraft Inc paid Bob and Helen Marx in 1953 for the right to peddle pipes like that one above?
Thats the seller that blocked me because I asked about that fill xD I made an offer when he listed it and he wouldn't respond, turns out he had blocked me. Strange seller....
 

NE Pipeteer

Might Stick Around
But how do you tell the $15 size Jumbos?

View attachment 377273


Here’s my humble guess—

Those ads showed the $10 size handmade Jumbo marked C

There were $5 Jumbo grade pipes marked A

$7.50 Jumbo grades marked B

But at the $15 level there usually was no size stamp

Huge perfect smooth Marxman Big Boy with fat saddle stem and no marks except Marxman

View attachment 377288

This pipe is barely smoked, less than a dozen or two times. It was light tan when I unwrapped it. It’s made of the finest briar found at 27 West 24 10 NYC NY

View attachment 377291
My best guess would be to have paid the $15 back in 1946. That would have guaranteed the rating. Other than that, I agree with you "best guess"
 
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