Random Question: History of Pipe Tobacco in the U.S.

[greeneyes]

I would argue that the Golden Age began around 1890, peaked around 1930s, began a decline around the 1950s, and finally kicked the bucket in the mid 1990s.

What we're currently experiencing is a marketing executives projection, a mish-mash of historical and modern formulas (the tobaccos themselves and the images they convey).

Diversity and quality of raw material steadily decrease, while the appearance of variety increases as the various houses struggle against the inevitable loss of quality with every process and recombination of what dwindling supply remains. The exotic Orientals are gone. The Blue Mountain Latakia is gone. The hand-processed Empire Virginias are supplanted by machine grown Brazilian leaf.

That a few old houses remain, gasping thin breath against ever restrictive legislation and industrial scale farming is chance fortune against the winds, and even they are shifting and readapting to survive.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

I would say that during the 'Golden Age' pipe smoking was not as much as a hobby and more a way of life. Selection for the vast majority was what was in the pouches or jars at the local tobacconist / druggist. Men back then were more brand loyal, and I doubt if they smoked a variety. My Grandpa smoked Captain Black all day long. Codger scoop from the pouch, flick of Zippo dump ash, repeat....

 

[EvertonFC]

As many people have pointed out in this thread the answer to the OP's question depends on the details of how it's framed. I'm going to dodge the almost jesuitical complexity of this issue (I have enough rabbit holes in my life today, thank you) and simply say that if you take the mid-fifties as a golden age and focus on industry producers as opposed to local tobacconists there were at least 47 manufacturers serving the American market offering in aggregate several hundred brands. The standard industry resource for the US is the annual (more or less) almanac published by what was then called the RTDA (the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America).

Awesome. Thanks for this. Pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

 

[EvertonFC]

I would argue that the Golden Age began around 1890, peaked around 1930s, began a decline around the 1950s, and finally kicked the bucket in the mid 1990s.

What we're currently experiencing is a marketing executives projection, a mish-mash of historical and modern formulas (the tobaccos themselves and the images they convey).

Diversity and quality of raw material steadily decrease, while the appearance of variety increases as the various houses struggle against the inevitable loss of quality with every process and recombination of what dwindling supply remains. The exotic Orientals are gone. The Blue Mountain Latakia is gone. The hand-processed Empire Virginias are supplanted by machine grown Brazilian leaf.

That a few old houses remain, gasping thin breath against ever restrictive legislation and industrial scale farming is chance fortune against the winds, and even they are shifting and readapting to survive.

Well that's depressing.

 

[fireground_piper]

On the other hand, there were a lot of really bad products being used by a number of manufacturers back in the 50s and 60s that are no longer used. I'd argue there's pros and cons to every era.....they may have had a more cared for leaf variety but they also seemingly then put some pretty nasty compounds on it during blending.

 

[jguss]

I would argue that the Golden Age began around 1890, peaked around 1930s, began a decline around the 1950s, and finally kicked the bucket in the mid 1990s.

What we're currently experiencing is a marketing executives projection, a mish-mash of historical and modern formulas (the tobaccos themselves and the images they convey).

Diversity and quality of raw material steadily decrease, while the appearance of variety increases as the various houses struggle against the inevitable loss of quality with every process and recombination of what dwindling supply remains. The exotic Orientals are gone. The Blue Mountain Latakia is gone. The hand-processed Empire Virginias are supplanted by machine grown Brazilian leaf.

That a few old houses remain, gasping thin breath against ever restrictive legislation and industrial scale farming is chance fortune against the winds, and even they are shifting and readapting to survive.

I think this is technically known as the Midnight in Paris view: the Golden Age is always the one just before your own. Not that I think greeneyes is wrong; I don't.

 

[Chalaw87]

Yep, pound bricks of Black Frigate minus the latakia. Just red Virginias, Orientals, and rum.

This is so cool. Do they still make this for you? If not what blend is similar? It sounds awesome.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Do they still make this for you? If not what blend is similar?

Not since the Tarler's retired and sold the company to Laudasi years ago.

what blend is similar?

Nothing I've found.

 

[proteus]

Tobacco shops were really where people talked in person. Not like today. Before the widespread internet of today the technology we had were BBS and LISTSERVs to join and talk about and share mail ordering information. USENET also had a tobacco group if memory serves. I was on DARPA (internet) in the 80s but it was only for educational, military and other research oriented entities like that. Not was it is like today. JR tobacco was and is still popular. In CT the Owl Shop could get whatever you needed. Definitely slower and more time consuming with less reach due to tech challenges. People needed to be tech savvy for those earlier options.

 

[Chalaw87]

Not since the Tarler's retired and sold the company to Laudasi years ago.



Nothing I've found.

If you dont mind keep me posted if you find something that is similar. That blend sounds legit. How did that old blend stack up against the latest Barrel Aged No. 6?

 

[RookieGuy80]

I would say that during the 'Golden Age' pipe smoking was not as much as a hobby and more a way of life. Selection for the vast majority was what was in the pouches or jars at the local tobacconist / druggist. Men back then were more brand loyal, and I doubt if they smoked a variety. My Grandpa smoked Captain Black all day long. Codger scoop from the pouch, flick of Zippo dump ash, repeat....

So like cigarettes were for my parents. They weren't hobbyists or anything really that required thought. They were cigarette smokers. Their parents were just pipe smokers. Just pipe smokers who were allowed to smoke pretty much wherever they wanted.

 

[Chasing Embers]

If you dont mind keep me posted if you find something that is similar. That blend sounds legit. How did that old blend stack up against the latest Barrel Aged No. 6?

Being a Virginia/Oriental, it blew Phantom Privateer out of the water.