RESEARCH
I've made inquiry to Peterson, but have yet to get a reply, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that their information on these older African Block Pipes will be scant.
Dear Mr. Bass
The pipe shown in the image that you emailed to us is a Tawny Deluxe – similar pipes were manufactured in Dublin up until 1985.
Kapp & Peterson also had a factory and office at 74/77 White Lion Street, London N.1 where they manufactured Peterson Pipes for many years – unfortunately we don’t know when the factory opened but it continued to manufacture pipes up until the end of the 1960s, you many have seen some pipes stamped “K & P London Made”? The factory manufactured the full range of Peterson pipes; however you should be able to confirm the origin and date of silver mounted pipes made in London as English hallmarks differ from our Irish hallmarks.
As you say that your pipe was manufactured in Great Britain then we can confirm that the meerschaum was sourced from Somalia at that time.
I hope this information is of interest.
Kind regards
Angela Fortune, Peterson Pipe Company
August 23, 2011. So far, this is the result of my research....
Patrick Brain, aka The Smoking Vicar, wrote: "If the pipe is stamped "GREAT BRITAIN" then it's probably from the Peterson English Era (from 1899 to around 1970). Unless it has a hallmarked silver band, it won't be easy to date. Peterson meers were fairly common (although expensive) in the 1970s but who actually made them is a mystery." These old Meerschaums are often difficult to trace back to their origin..., more so than Briar Pipes as a rule. Thanks for the links Jimbo. The information remains suppositional, at best and Ben Rapaport's expertise lies outside of this Pipe's legacy.
Research links provided by Jimbo:
http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Kiko
http://www.pipeacademy.org/pdf/working_groups/Meerschaum%20Carver%20list%20Jan%202011.pdf
