need info on Dr. Grabow CDL!

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theloniousmonkfish

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 1, 2017
943
497
Nice CDL. Made from 75-83 and test marketed in cities across the US, never took off.

From the former COO of Grabow, Tom Douglas

"The predecessor of the CDL was bought in 1967 in LaGuardia airport by Paul Fish. It sat on Pauls desk until his death in 1972. It was a simple bowl and a simple metal stem with attatched bit. I've always speculated that it was sold by Mastercraft.

Jack Martin became President of Sparta Pipes in 1972. The CDL sat on his (and Paul's) desk for years.
In about 1974 we decided to design and try the concept. Tooling for the "shank", and the mould for the bit were EXPENSIVE, but we tried.

Best I recall... we made 300 and sent them FREE to RJR customers who had ordered Westbrook etc. along with a survey. Knew we had pipe smokers.

Comments were.. Coolest smoke I ever had.
Dryest smoke I ever had.
Lightest pipe I ever owned.

But Invariably.. Ugliest pipe I've ever seen.

Guess we should have called it CULD.

I'm really curious about what those who have never tried a CDL will think about it. It is a wonderful smoke.... not to be seen outside with...... Td"
 
Sep 6, 2022
14
7
Montréal
Nice CDL. Made from 75-83 and test marketed in cities across the US, never took off.

From the former COO of Grabow, Tom Douglas

"The predecessor of the CDL was bought in 1967 in LaGuardia airport by Paul Fish. It sat on Pauls desk until his death in 1972. It was a simple bowl and a simple metal stem with attatched bit. I've always speculated that it was sold by Mastercraft.

Jack Martin became President of Sparta Pipes in 1972. The CDL sat on his (and Paul's) desk for years.
In about 1974 we decided to design and try the concept. Tooling for the "shank", and the mould for the bit were EXPENSIVE, but we tried.

Best I recall... we made 300 and sent them FREE to RJR customers who had ordered Westbrook etc. along with a survey. Knew we had pipe smokers.

Comments were.. Coolest smoke I ever had.
Dryest smoke I ever had.
Lightest pipe I ever owned.

But Invariably.. Ugliest pipe I've ever seen.

Guess we should have called it CULD.

I'm really curious about what those who have never tried a CDL will think about it. It is a wonderful smoke.... not to be seen outside with...... Td"
wow !thanks a lot, I appreciate it. that much more info than what I was able to find !
 
  • Like
Reactions: theloniousmonkfish
Dec 3, 2021
4,792
40,300
Pennsylvania & New York
I posted a pic of mine here.

I remember reading somewhere that they were sold as Dr. Grabow pipes on cards in retail shops—they were also available via pipe coupons and ads in magazines and were sold without markings. Yours has what I believe are cancellation carvings over the Dr. Grabow stamp (I'm just speculating) and probably would've been available via the latter kind of marketing. Mine has no stamping on the wood, but, bears the Dr. Grabow logo on the stem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: theloniousmonkfish
Sep 6, 2022
14
7
Montréal
I posted a pic of mine here.

I remember reading somewhere that they were sold as Dr. Grabow pipes on cards in retail shops—they were also available via pipe coupons and ads in magazines and were sold without markings. Yours has what I believe are cancellation carvings over the Dr. Grabow stamp (I'm just speculating) and probably would've been available via the latter kind of marketing. Mine has no stamping on the wood, but, bears the Dr. Grabow logo on the stem.
cool thank you very much, I saw yours its beautiful! I paid 50$cad for mine don't know if its a good price but I'm very happy
 
Sep 6, 2022
14
7
Montréal
good for them, this one is mine hahaha!
I think you did well. I've seen listings asking for a couple hundred US or more. It doesn't mean they're fetching that, but, someone feels they're uncommon enough to ask that much.
wow good to know but this one will stay with me for a while! I love the look of it and from what I read it seem to smoke really well ! how do you like yours, if I may ask?
 
Dec 3, 2021
4,792
40,300
Pennsylvania & New York
I enjoy having it—it's a novel design. My general preference is pipes without filters, but, it's easy enough to not put a filter in. Filtered pipes can come in handy with goopy aromatics that you don't have the time or patience to let dry.
 
Sep 6, 2022
14
7
Montréal
I enjoy having it—it's a novel design. My general preference is pipes without filters, but, it's easy enough to not put a filter in. Filtered pipes can come in handy with goopy aromatics that you don't have the time or patience to let dry.
never used a filtered pipe before might just leave it out,