"O'Sullivan" (?) Pipe Identification

[Sicut_Incensum]

So I found this lovely little number on eBay a couple of years ago.

The seller said it was hallmarked 1921, and my own research confirms it's a Birmingham hallmark, though the letter is hard to be certain of.


The maker's mark seems to be "XRA" but is also hard to be certain of. I haven't found any makers beginning with X listed in the hallmark databases I found.


The seller thought the stamping said "Williams", but I'm pretty certain it's actually "O'Sullivan".

Anyone have any insight?

 

[OzPiper]

So I found this lovely little number on eBay a couple of years ago.
View attachment 376269
The seller said it was hallmarked 1921, and my own research confirms it's a Birmingham hallmark, though the letter is hard to be certain of.

View attachment 376266

The dated letter is too buffed out for my failing eyes to decipher accurately.
Taking a stab at it, I’d say it’s an “A” which would place it as 1925

The seller thought the stamping said "Williams", but I'm pretty certain it's actually "O'Sullivan".
View attachment 376264
Anyone have any insight?

Likely to be the tobacconist/retailer rather than the maker

 

[Sicut_Incensum]

Likely to be the tobacconist/retailer rather than the maker

My thought as well, especially when I couldn't find an "O'Sullivan" listed as a maker anywhere.

 

[BingBong]

In a puff of smoke, 107 years of history snuffed out

For years the smell of pipe tobacco acted as a kind of GPS that told you you were in the vicinity of M&P O’Sullivan, the cosy tobacco shop on Academy St in Cork City.

www.irishexaminer.com

Possibly? Cork doesn't chime with the Brum hallmark, but if it was bought in, it wouldn't necessarily.

 

[Sicut_Incensum]

In a puff of smoke, 107 years of history snuffed out

For years the smell of pipe tobacco acted as a kind of GPS that told you you were in the vicinity of M&P O’Sullivan, the cosy tobacco shop on Academy St in Cork City.

www.irishexaminer.com

Possibly? Cork doesn't chime with the Brum hallmark, but if it was bought in, it wouldn't necessarily.

Oh, this seems familiar...maybe I turned this article up myself when I first got the pipe. In any case, I'd forgotten. This seems the likeliest culprit for the stamp, for sure.

 

[xrundog]

I don’t think those are actual hallmarks. The word Sterling would be redundant.

 

[OzPiper]

I don’t think those are actual hallmarks. The word Sterling would be redundant.

Genuine hallmarks.
The English lion and Birmingham anchor can be made out quite easily.
Just the date letter is indistinct.

 

[xrundog]

Okay, looked funky at first look. I’ve looked at too many American faux marks.
Is the stamp perhaps Skillington?

 

[dd57chevy]

What seems curious (to me , any way) is why the metal band is so worn . The briar appears to be in beautiful shape .
The previous owner habitually held it by the metal band when smoking ?????

 

[OzPiper]

What seems curious (to me , any way) is why the metal band is so worn . The briar appears to be in beautiful shape .
The previous owner habitually held it by the metal band when smoking ?????

Wore the silver down by trying to keep it shiny all the time

 

[Sicut_Incensum]

What seems curious (to me , any way) is why the metal band is so worn . The briar appears to be in beautiful shape .
The previous owner habitually held it by the metal band when smoking ?????

It's in amazingly nice shape all over, even the stem...but the silver is worn right down. Maybe it was smoked by someone careful, but stored and handled over the years by nonsmokers who were not.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I don’t think those are actual hallmarks. The word Sterling would be redundant.

Genuine hallmarks.
The English lion and Birmingham anchor can be made out quite easily.
Just the date letter is indistinct.

No, I believe @xrundog is correct. That is a faux hallmark that is very similar to the Kaufmann Bros. & Bondy used on their Colossus Pipe Factory pipes quite often, and has confused and fooled collectors for years. The third symbol is a star. Here is a Steve Laug post that had clearer shots of an XRA band with the faux hallmark:

Graphite Lined Pipes – rebornpipes

Posts about Graphite Lined Pipes written by rebornpipes

rebornpipes.com

The order of the stamps is different, but here is one of my Colossus Pipe Factory Meerschaum pipes with a faux hallmark:



Note the use of the word “STERLING” in addition to the “hallmarks.”

 

[Sicut_Incensum]

No, I believe @xrundog is correct. That is a faux hallmark that Kaufmann Bros. & Bondy used on their Colossus Pipe Factory pipes quite often, and has confused and fooled collectors for years. The third symbol is a star. Here is a Steve Laug post that had clearer shots of an XRA band with the faux hallmark:

Graphite Lined Pipes – rebornpipes

Posts about Graphite Lined Pipes written by rebornpipes

rebornpipes.com

The order of the stamps is different, but here is one of my Colossus Pipe Factory Meerschaum pipes with a faux hallmark:

View attachment 376461

Note the use of the word “STERLING” in addition to the “hallmarks.”

I knew I came to the right place! Thank you very much. So it's definitely an old pipe still, but presumably American-made. I wonder if there was an old O'Sullivan (or other name?) shop here in the States at some point. It would seem odd for an Irish shop to bring in American pipes, but who knows...

 

[TheIronMonkey]

You’re very welcome. Happy to help if possible. So many shops have come and gone over the last 100 years, anything is possible. That could easily be a pipe branded for a shop somewhere in the USA in the 1920s–1930s.

 

[OzPiper]

Okay, looked funky at first look. I’ve looked at too many American faux marks.
Is the stamp perhaps Skillington?

No, I believe @xrundog is correct. That is a faux hallmark that is very similar to the Kaufmann Bros. & Bondy used on their Colossus Pipe Factory pipes quite often, and has confused and fooled collectors for years. The third symbol is a star. Here is a Steve Laug post that had clearer shots of an XRA band with the faux hallmark:

Graphite Lined Pipes – rebornpipes

Posts about Graphite Lined Pipes written by rebornpipes

rebornpipes.com

Note the use of the word “STERLING” in addition to the “hallmarks.”

Well spotted @xrundog and Jeff @TheIronMonkey
What chicanery !
I was completely fooled, buffed out marks not withstanding

In the league of faux S.T.Dupont lighters

 

[Sicut_Incensum]

I love that I can accurately list the pipe under the appropriate maker now, so thanks again gents. As a history nerd it's very, very satisfying. The pipe itself certainly is in great condition aside from the worn silver; I will have to give it a smoke soon.