One Man's Trash Is ....

[durham270]

...another man's treasure. This is a phrase we often hear. I'm sure the phrase holds true to this old but 'new' find of mine as well. I recently acquired (bid) this vintage scratched to heck pipe. It should be arriving middle of next week. I bought it for a few reasons..
- I've not never seen another pipe like it before?

- It looks like a pipe worthy of being restored back to it's glory days.

- It was cheap enough
SO, I plan on restoring it and then smoke the heck out of it! That is if it smokes good.
Bruyere Garantie pipe, Made in France, measures approx 5 1/4" Long x 1 1/2" Wide x 1 1/2" H
Questions posed - What do you think date of mfg. might have been? Who made it? Pre WWII or about? Do you think the stem is bakelite?

Odd, I've been buying a lot of these old cheap pipes lately. I've spent enough $ on the lot of them when I could have easily bought a few nice higher ends pipe instead.

 

[papipeguy]

Almost certainly made n Saint Claude, France. I've attached a map of pipe makers there. Take your pick.
http://www.pipephil.eu/logos/en/infos/stclaude-en.html

 

[numbersix]

Hard to say, but it looks old enough to be from the 30s or 40s. The stem cut/design is very similar to an amber one I have from 1910. Cannot tell if it's bakelite from the photos.
Anyway - congrats! It's a unique pipe - I can see why you grabbed it.

 

[durham270]

papipeguy > Thanks for posting the map. Looks interesting. It's going to be fun playing Sherlock Holmes!
Thanks numbersix. I'd like to see your antique 1910 pipe sometime.

 

[voorhees]

I love the shape, I have a squat Edwards Bulldog. Can't wait to see it cleaned up.

 

[numbersix]

Thanks numbersix. I'd like to see your antique 1910 pipe sometime.

Happy to oblige: It's Sommer, a French made Meer:

Close up of the stem:

 

[durham270]

Numbersix > Very nice pipe! The stem does look very similar. Maybe the same maker? I know I feel like a baby at Christmas waiting to get this pipe! I will have four vintage pipes (two bulldogs and two straight billiards) in need of restoration soon.

 

[numbersix]

Numbersix > Very nice pipe! The stem does look very similar. Maybe the same maker?

Either that or perhaps this style of stem was popular in the early 1900s - not sure. If so, your pipe could possibly pre-date the 1940s.
Hope you find some good info on it once you have it in hand. Good sites to check out for pipe research are pipedia.com and http://www.pipephil.eu/

 

[voorhees]

Oh my Numbersix....I like that pipe!

 

[numbersix]

Oh my Numbersix....I like that pipe!

Thanks a lot. I may have over paid, but it was in unsmoked condition with a genuine amber stem, I couldn't resist. It smokes really well too, but even with the pipe being about 6" long, the bowl is a bit smaller than I'd like.
Still, a really nice pipe.

 

[numbersix]

Everyone should experience the feel of a genuine amber stem -- like stone, but with a bit of the soft striations of wood -- unique, hard to explain, but I like it.

Totally agree. It's a unique material for sure.