Peterson Pipe Unlike Any Other (I Need HELP)!!!

[tobaccoonthetrail]

Hello all,
I am brand new to this forum and this will be my first post.
I recently made a purchase of a “Peterson’s pipe at an antique shop and found it to be a bit weird. Weird in the fact that it has an oval shaped bowl and 2, that’s right “2” draft holes. I have contacted Peterson of Dublin to try and verify the pipes authenticity and year of make. The pipe markings are as follows (“Peterson’s”with “Selected Briar” underneath, all in box letters and “Imported Briar” on the bottom of the shank.. Unfortunately the representative has just gotten back with me and informed me that the pipe is not one of theirs. I find this to be odd and am not sure if faking Peterson Pipes is even a real thing. The pipe looks to be old and has no stem marking. I need your help in possibly finding out who actual pipe manufacturer is and if this 2 draft hole system is a production thing or someone just possibly modifying his pipe. Any help is appreciated!
Edited by jvnshr: Title capitalization (please check Rule #9)

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Pictures will be invaluable.

 

[sablebrush52]

It sounds like an opera pipe with a denture bit. A number of top British makers made these, though the denture bit was usually a custom option and not standard issue. The ides of the oval chamber was to keep the pipe from creating an unsightly or unfashionable bulge in a gentleman's pocket when at a formal event. The twin bore stem design was used to help keep biters or clenchers from chewing up or deforming the ends of the stem by maintaining a solid column of vulcanite in the center of the stem while flanked by two smaller draft holes. Sounds like a nice piece. Pix would be great!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think Jesse is dead on. I would also like to see the nomenclature. If someone was going to fake the nomenclature on a pipe, I would think that they'd chose a more prestigious top end brand name.

 

[fitzy]

Pictures please. Also is there any kind of silver band on it with a hallmark?

 

[tobaccoonthetrail]

I just uploaded all of the pictures of the pipe to my album on my profile. Not to sure how to add them to this thread being a newbie and all.

 

[mso489]

sable's got the story, with the oval bowl being an opera pipe feature. I didn't know about the denture bit feature...interesting.

 

[bigpond]

The stamping “selected briar” and “imported briar” are not in keeping with traditional Peterson stampings, from what I can see. Pics would be great.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

 

[tobaccoonthetrail]

Thanks Cosmic

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Definitely a pocketpipe. I misunderstood what he meant by two draft holes. I was thinking like a Viprati double drafts hole.

 

[joeman]

I've seen that oval chamber / dual draft system; I have a Kaywoodie with that same bowl design. Very cool, nice find!!!
My thought is this has nothing to do with 'the' Peterson. Most Petes are stamped with Ireland of course...with far fewer appearing with England, London, Great Britain, Eire, depending on age and origin. Have certainly never seen an "imported briar" Pete. There are countless historical (and present day) examples where a manufacturer simply stamped pipes with the name of the shop where it would be sold; Peterson's could simply have been a mid-century or earlier pipe shop.

 

[doctorbob]

And this pipe DOES have a stem marking, it is visible in the photos.
Doc

 

[snowyowl]

Love that shape! Nice find.
I have a David P Ehrlich, Boston. A wonderful pipe to slip into a tweed jacket or such.

https://pipedia.org/wiki/Ehrlich%27s

 

[mikethompson]

Very aerodynamic!

 

[snowyowl]

In kind, the Peterson and the Ehrlich... both, from a time gone by.

 

[tuold]

Somewhere around here I have pipe stamped "Made for Peterson" in the recognizable Peterson script. When I posted about it asking why somebody would make a pipe for Peterson, some wag answered that it was so the draft hole would be drilled straight

 

[oldmansmoking]

Great pipe, how does it smoke?

Looks fabulous.

Confused with the two holes how do you get a pipe cleaner through them?

 

[weezell]

Now.... a very silly question. Is that cake in the bottom of the bowl??? Have you dug around gently to see if anything comes loose? Just a thought. Something looks off to me....

 

[tobaccoonthetrail]

I made the mistake of not picking the pipe up when I first visited the shop when visiting my folks so I tasked my with going back and grabbing it for me. That being said the pipe is still at his house. I don’t want him ruffing up the inside of the bowl trying to determine if it’s cake or not so that theory will have to wait, but it sounds like a reasonable assumption. Once I pick it up I am going to refurbish it and then I will let you all know how it smokes. Even with all of the unknowns I am still really excited to own the pipe. I love that oval shape!!