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excav8tor

Can't Leave
Aug 28, 2010
447
2
South Devon, England
I have noticed that there are quite a few lovers of Peterson pipes, me being one. So I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread that is specifically for Peterson's and information relating to them.
When I first joined the forum, it was suggested that I offer information, that I have gained from various pipes/pipemakers that I research, to outside agencies or websites. Now, whilst I agree with the freedom of information and sharing what I have learned, why not have that information accumulated here on Smokingpipes.com?
I recently wrote to Peterson's a request for information on a pipe that had no Country Of Manufacture (COM). After having narrowed it down, by reading all the articles on dating Peterson's I was hoping for some kind of confirmation. To my surprise it confirmed my suspicions that the pipe was at the very least 100 years old.
In addition, I was given told that these early pipes had a numbering system for the different grades of quality, which was not mentioned in any of the articles I had read so far.
These were:
“0” Grade – A grade slightly under first quality, finished in a light Walnut colour and Hallmarked Silver Mount with space for wear of the Vulcanite mouthpiece.
“2” Grade – A very substantial quality Briar with Hallmarked Silver Mounts and fine quality Vulcanite mouthpiece.
“3” Grade – Finished in a medium Walnut colour with a Nickel Mount and a good quality Vulcanite mouthpiece.
These grades can come either on their own or within a circle.
Peterson don’t have any archives at all so they rely largely on old catalogues and the input from their senior craftsmen.
I am in the process of renovating a 308 that can be dated to between 1945 and 1947 and it is marked with a 0 on its own, whereas the older pipe is a 3 within a circle.
Dating a Peterson's to a particular year (without a silver mount) can be very difficult, if not impossible. At best it seems that all that can be found is an age range e.g. between 1945 and 1947 by the identification of the COM (and if there is one) and also, what type of script is used in the 'P' in Peterson. A good article on Dating Peterson's is HERE
The unusual thing that I did notice about the 1945-47 pipe is that the mortise is the same diameter as the bowl i.e. 18mm.
By the way, I don't have a stem for the 1945-47 Peterson's and seeing as the mortise is way bigger than the 'normal' system standards we see today, it probably means I am going to get smacked really hard for a replacement.

 

excav8tor

Can't Leave
Aug 28, 2010
447
2
South Devon, England
I have just received an email from Peterson's with reference to a question I asked them.
'Can I assume therefore that a pipe marked with a 1 within a circle means a 1st grade pipe. If that is so, what would the definition of a 1st Grade pipe be'?
I don’t know if there are pipes marked with a 1 within a circle – I haven’t seen one mentioned, even in the old catalogues. The best quality you can buy is called a “Straight Grain” and I am pretty sure they were available 100 years ago but they are quite rare.

 

robs

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 1, 2010
157
1
I am another confirmed Peterson Nut. I currently have the following.....

4 of 303 (One being a Golden Princess)

1 of 314 and a same shaped Mershaum

1 of 307 (Ebony)

2 of 305 (1 Ebony)

1 of Kinsale XL12

1 of Kinsale XL23

1 of Kinsale XL11

1 of Kinsale XL26

1 of "Special Edition" (Same as POTY 2008)

1 of POTY 2001
Hopefully some more to come once the "Special Edition" and a.n.other Pipe have been sold to fund incoming LOL.

 

chuckw

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 7, 2009
679
12
Excav8or. May I suggest a couple of blogs. The first is The Peterson Pipe Project http://thepetersonpipeproject.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=27

scroll down to Mike Levetette's dating guide.

The second and more up to date is Jim Lilleys The Peterson Pipe Collector

http://thepetersoncollector.blogspot.com/

You can also see some old Peterson catalogues on my Photobucket account:

http://s740.photobucket.com/albums/xx50/ChuckWright_01/Barry%20Levin/ This is a copy of Barry Levins Patent era work. It loaded backwards so start with page 7.

This next one is a copy of Peterson's 1896 catalogue:

http://s740.photobucket.com/albums/xx50/ChuckWright_01/Peterson%201896%20catolgue/
As for your 308, a current 307 stem will fit but you must re-bend it to the proper shape. here is one of my 308's to give you an idea of the shape:

DSC_0022.jpg


 

chuckw

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 7, 2009
679
12
I loaded the previous post pretty heavily. A Peterson with no COM and not being stamped Patent on the shank was made between 1915 and 1921.

On to your query about grading.

A System 0 would be the same as todays Supreme grade.

A 1 would be a Deluxe.

A 2 would be a Premier.

A 3 would be a Standard.

I have a 4 and a 5 grade which I assume were lesser grades and have been discontinued or will simply have re-graded as Standards in todays market.

You will note the different stem shapes available in the Barry Levin catalogue. These were available on any grade pipe in their line up then.

To toot my own horn a bit, I am one of the moderators on the Peterson group on another forum.

 

excav8tor

Can't Leave
Aug 28, 2010
447
2
South Devon, England
Thanks Chuck, I was hoping you'd reply and you didn't disappoint.

The other strange thing about the '0' 308, is that the mount is definitely NOT silver moreover it is not Nickel either; it looks more like Aluminium. The only thing I can think of is that silver and nickel were in rather short supply at the end of WW2.

And thanks for the tip on 307 stems fitting.
PS.... Toot away to your hearts content. I won't complain, I promise.

 

skipper

Might Stick Around
Sep 19, 2010
69
0
Being myself another "Pete nut", I'm glad to join this thread. I have never considered myself a true collector, but simply a pipesmoker and Peterson's lover. Over the years I have bought some 100+ Petes, some brand new, some estate ones, some in production at the moment of the purchase, some very ancient ones.

I'm thrilled at your experience, and you can be sure I shall visit this thread regularly.

Cheers

 

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
I am going to have to take the time and go through my Peterson rack and list what I have managed to gather up.

 

thesandpiper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 6, 2010
118
0
Hi Guys, I see Chuck has mentioned me and my blog in the passing.I probably am the ultimate Pete nut.A fine madness it is.
http://thepetersoncollector.blogspot.com/

Regards to you all

Jim

 

sixdollardave

Lurker
Sep 15, 2010
2
0
I'm also a Peterson pipe nut. I'm a smoker, not a collector, but I do own two Mark Twains that are amoung the best pipes I've ever smoked.

 

seilerjp

Might Stick Around
Oct 13, 2009
76
0
Pittsburgh, PA
While not a big Peterson pipe collector, I do have a small set of the Sherlock Holmes pipes (I collect SH material, a spreadsheet of my collection is on my website). I have had Tim West replace stems on some 1940's pipes and he is very reasonable and does a great job. You can check with him as he may have the logo. He does have the logo stamp for Charatan pipes.

 

ernest

Can't Leave
Aug 31, 2010
394
0
All my pipes have been Petersons.My next ones will all be Petersons.When I see a Peterson that I feel I must have,all common sense goes out the window and the cash is dropped on the table no matter the cost.No one or nothing can stop this disease.

 

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
Ernest? Are we twins separated at birth? I am a Peterson fanatic as well. Though I do have a lot of other pipes.

 

thesandpiper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 6, 2010
118
0
Hi Guys,sorry for the duplication of the earlier post,just formally introducing myself, after at last finding my way around your great forum with some degree of competence.

I am a retired eccentric Scotsman who is obsessed with Peterson pipes.I know,sad person!!

Dedicated focus, collecting only Peterson pipes(400 approx.).I have mini collections within my main collection,including Patents, pre-Republics, Mark Twain's, Darwin's,Peterson London made pipes,'Star' and 'Red' Standard Systems,Year pipes,Anniversary,Commemorative and modern higher grade pipes.

Curator of the world famous Sandpiper Vintage Peterson Museum and Custodian of the Peterson Pipe Collector Blog.

Looking forward to getting involved in your great community.

Kindest regards from the wilds of Scotland.

Jim

 

lordnoble

Lifer
Jul 13, 2010
2,677
14
We're glad to have you here, Jim! I browsed your blog, and it looks like I have MANY hours of reading to do not to mention hours of looking through your collection. Thanks!
-Jason

 

thesandpiper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 6, 2010
118
0
Thank you for the welcome Jason and your kind comments.Glad you had a brief look at the Blog.As you have stated it does require a degree of time and patience to cover all of my ramblings.My aim is that in time it will become a reference tool for all Pete Nuts.Peterson facts and history are difficult to pin down in any systematic form,I hope that this will make it simpler for newbies in particular.

Regards

Jim

http://thepetersoncollector.blogspot.com/

 

fred

Lifer
Mar 21, 2010
1,509
4
OK guys... Having both African Block Peterson Meerschaums and the

recent high grade Turkish Block Sherlock Holmes Series Meerschaums

in my modest collection, I believe that this is an area that should

be checked out. These are good Pipes and smoke well.

 

gunner777

Lurker
Oct 2, 2010
39
0
Missouri
Chuck thanks for those links there will be some interesting reading there. Petersons at least the high end spigots have sure increased a lot in price over the last several years!

Make me wish I had kept my gold spigot:-(

 
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