Marxman Select Grain

[Briar Lee]

In some of the forties era Marxman catalogs a Marxman Select Grain is advertised for $2.50. It was the cheapest Marxman and not advertised in the glossy weeklies that I’ve seen.

I was able to win what appears to be an unsmoked or very high condition small Pear Select Grain still in its box. Merry Christmas 1947 may still be somewhere on the box.

Small Pears must have been stylish back in the day because I find a bunch of them from Lee, Pipe Maker, Bertram and Marxman. This was the size Prince Albert claimed a two ounce can was good for fifty smokes.

I have another Select Grain, a medium Dublin, and it appears to be just another machine made smooth Marxman that might have been a Super Briar if the grain figure was better.

Bob Marx never threw away something that would sell, I supppse.

It may have been stained, but Dollar General 100% acetone will fix that really quick. Those spots may be fills. There are fills on my two 400s.

$20 plus $7 shipping and taxes.

These things are incredible bargains.

 

[Ryan]

Totally nitpicking, but I prefer the looks of the "arrow" stinger that was in some Marxman pipes. How many total Marxmans do you own?

 

[Briar Lee]

Totally nitpicking, but I prefer the looks of the "arrow" stinger that was in some Marxman pipes. How many total Marxmans do you own?

A plastic tub full.

Maybe a hundred?

 

[Briar Lee]

This came today and was barely smoked.

The most interesting thing is the catalog.

There are zero military men inside it.

No rugged outdoor men of action inside, either.

The featured pipe on the first page is the $2.50 Select Grain, then you can move up to a $3.50 Dunsboro or $3.50 Mell-o or $5 hand carved figural or Super Briar, or $7.50 Royal or the $10 Deluxe.

No Benchmades, no Jumbos, no 400s.

And my pipe has an applied carbon layer that had big parts flaked off, was varnished, and came in a blue sleeve.

I think this is 1934-37.

 

[Briar Lee]

To sort this out some, let’s say when this pipe and catalog were current , you wanted a Marxman.

For $5 you could choose from these figurals.



But look at all these shapes! 36 choices!



Then you selected a shape, and paid $2.50, $3.50, $5, $7.50, or $10 for your pipe, the briar figure getting better as you paid more. A Mell-o was rusticated, and a Royal had a gold band, and the $10 Deluxe was an unstained, unvarnished, virgin briar wonderment.

But you chose from 36 shapes, most of which I’ve never seen. This was the Kaywoodie type system. More money prettier and better briar.


Your pipe was warranted against burn out.



And, for twice what the codger blends all cost you could buy Marxman tobacco.



Either this catalog was 34-36, before the 400 (or the Benchmade or Jumbo or Morocco) or it was at the end of production.

And by the absence of army and navy men, and the Morocco (world’s lightest pipe!) my guess is middle thirties.

It does solve one mystery I had.

You’ll find smooth pipes with no grade marks.

My Selected Grain Beaded Pear, is not marked Selected Grain. It got varnished and a carbon layer in the bowl instead of a polished bowl.

If it was a $3.50 Dunsboro or $5 Super Briar I’ll bet they would have told me.

An early Selected Grain is likely a Dunsboro or Super Briar that didn’t make the grade.

A $10 Deluxe just must be a masterpiece, in the depths of the Depression.

Does anybody have one?

 

[Ryan]

I don't have one, but it looks like one sold for $19.99 on ebay about three weeks ago. I am surprised you didn't buy it!