I’ve smoked pipes now for fifty years.
Not the prettiest, not the best carved, but a pre 54 Marxman is by a large margin the best smoking briar pipe ever made.
Like an Havana cigar is the best cigar, old Algerian briar smokes the best, period.
MARXMAN Pipes, anyone?
- Thread starter shermnatman
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
I’ve smoked pipes now for fifty years.
Not the prettiest, not the best carved, but a pre 54 Marxman is by a large margin the best smoking briar pipe ever made.
Like an Havana cigar is the best cigar, old Algerian briar smokes the best, period.
Interesting how an almost forgotten brand could generate such a long thread with so much info. I know nothing about them so I can't contribute. 
Never say never about Marxman pipes.
The laws in place in 1954 required all pipes not made entirely in the USA be stamped with the nation they were made in. That’s why you’ll see Post 54 Marxman pipes stamped France, maybe Italy.
And while it’s common knowledge before 54 that Bob Marx used Algerian briar his production was NEVER stamped as Algerian. It had a bad reputation as the cheapest briar, not fit for smooth pipes.
Except this one.
$24.50 on eBay
$5 Benchmade A size
Jumbo?
That there was made in Murica!.
The laws in place in 1954 required all pipes not made entirely in the USA be stamped with the nation they were made in. That’s why you’ll see Post 54 Marxman pipes stamped France, maybe Italy.
And while it’s common knowledge before 54 that Bob Marx used Algerian briar his production was NEVER stamped as Algerian. It had a bad reputation as the cheapest briar, not fit for smooth pipes.
Except this one.
$24.50 on eBay
$5 Benchmade A size
Jumbo?
That there was made in Murica!.
My Marxman Bulldog A size Benchmade arrived and like all my other Marxman pipes it is a dynamite smoker, Algerian briar and asbestos have similar insulating qualities, and the only reason a die hard pipe smoker doesn’t smoke a Marxman is they’ve not smoked a good, fresh Pre 54 yet.
The break in of a half of one bowl smoked brand new 70 year old pipe was to load it up and smoke it.
Amazing. I wonder if 70 years have mellowed the briar or if they were this good brand new back then.
The break in of a half of one bowl smoked brand new 70 year old pipe was to load it up and smoke it.
Amazing. I wonder if 70 years have mellowed the briar or if they were this good brand new back then.
A weekend of smoking my new Marxman bulldog has colored the pipe into a chocolate brown to brownish black blend of hues that would do credit to any meerschaum.
Money spent on any other briar pipe is for show.
Marx made the best smokers the world will ever know.
And it must have been the curing process.
Money spent on any other briar pipe is for show.
Marx made the best smokers the world will ever know.
And it must have been the curing process.
Now what is to come of the 500 Pipes by Lee on the Shelf?
Yes I have one.
From 1934 until the late forties the cheapest pipe Marx advertised was the $3.50 Mell-o. The Dunsboro was $2.50 when it came out, near the end in 1954.
Unlike Lees and Kaywoodies, Marx used about the same grade of Algerian from the cheapest to higher grade.
I own some few moderately pretty Super Briars, but they are none even to a Three Star or Flame Grain grade of fancy.
Generally speaking by plainest figured Lees beat my fanciest Marxmans for fancy grain.
My Dunsboro smokes like a Marxman.
Nuff said.
To be honest, a simple Jumbo Benchmade can be and often is really about as good as Marx ever got.
Again, Marx's genius is often overlooked.
He somewhat invented the freestyle pipe - it was improved on by others, but his line of pipes certainly broke the mode for shapes;
He used marketing like nobody before or even after him in terms of pipes;
He invented the slow smoke pipe smoking contest;
He marketed a Lifetime guarantee - Dunhill only gave a one year warranty;
His use of Algerian Briar was exclusive to his line and he used special rubs to make the pipes look clean and interesting and change colors as they smoked;
His use of sculptures on the bowls by named artist is a trademark of Marx. For years he owned the most expensive pipe in the world and kept it in his own private collection. It was a Marxman pipe.
So... put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Again, Marx's genius is often overlooked.
He somewhat invented the freestyle pipe - it was improved on by others, but his line of pipes certainly broke the mode for shapes;
He used marketing like nobody before or even after him in terms of pipes;
He invented the slow smoke pipe smoking contest;
He marketed a Lifetime guarantee - Dunhill only gave a one year warranty;
His use of Algerian Briar was exclusive to his line and he used special rubs to make the pipes look clean and interesting and change colors as they smoked;
His use of sculptures on the bowls by named artist is a trademark of Marx. For years he owned the most expensive pipe in the world and kept it in his own private collection. It was a Marxman pipe.
So... put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Remembering this post, tonight I won three pipes for $20.
One is a genuine 7 point star Lee Three Star bulldog. It’s worth $30 or more, itself, ten minutes after I unwrap it and clean it up.
The next one is a Bentley that looks like a dollar grade varnished and nylon bit rack pipe:
But the prize is a genuine Marxman Royal
Attachments
Last edited:
This is one of the top 10 smokers I have . Although at last count there were 18 in the top ten. Either I can't count or inflation has hit that list too.Never say never about Marxman pipes.
The laws in place in 1954 required all pipes not made entirely in the USA be stamped with the nation they were made in. That’s why you’ll see Post 54 Marxman pipes stamped France, maybe Italy.
And while it’s common knowledge before 54 that Bob Marx used Algerian briar his production was NEVER stamped as Algerian. It had a bad reputation as the cheapest briar, not fit for smooth pipes.
Except this one.
View attachment 239738View attachment 239739View attachment 239740View attachment 239741View attachment 239742
$24.50 on eBay
$5 Benchmade A size
Jumbo?
That there was made in Murica!.
Attachments
I don't know if any of you Marxman guys are interested in restoring pipes but 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here’s my present summary
$3.50 Mell-o grade
Umber stained- many shapes, usually lots of carvings and gouges
$5 Jumbo - a shape. Usually carved and gouged. Came in $5 Large $7.50 $10 Massive
Benchmade- a grade. Came in many shapes including Jumbo, in sizes $5 (A) $7.50 (B) $10 (C) and the elusive $15 “Big Boy —-Smooth or carved
Super Grain —all shapes—- a grade—pretty briar (by Marx standards, not others) usually smooth— $5 or $7.50 Deluxe and my $10 Royal grade, with 14k RGP band.
400 —-Da pipe! The best! $25