I once had a dream that I compiled a book about sandblasted pipes.
Another dreambook would be something like A Comprehensive Index of UK Tobacco Manufacturers, Complete With Tasting Notes and Flavour Profiles --- alas, I will keep dreaming. :| It's even difficult to find an oldtimer online who can describe the old stuff, although I've read some great write-ups about Player's Airman and Ogden's Redbreast, along with most of the more famous stuff, but for the most part there ain't much knowin' how stuff like that tasted when fresh...
...the Barling Royal Hunt musta been pretty good, it outlasted the 1812 blends, all of which were intro'd in '64 as jguss said, but Royal Hunt was available for quite some time, I gotta 1984 ed. of the A.I.T.S. index described as a rr'd med strength bright with casing --- I'd love to sample it and see if any of its original aromaticity survived the ages, Ogden's had complex formulas for making their baccy sauces, something like St. Bruno involved intense compounding to achieve its unique profile.
That seller has been trying to sell that tin at least since Jan 18th,
originally for $143!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BARLING-ROYAL-HUNT-TOBACCO-TIN-SEALD-UNOPENED-60S-4-OZ-/171218698578
...and ain't nobody bought it yet even after the price reduction.
Here's another one for around the same price,
£50 or around $83 USD
http://www.tobaccocollectibles.co.uk/royal_hunt0127.html
Pipestud had a Barling RH tin like that on ebay in June 2013 and it sold for $237.83
This short article is pretty neat, note on the pie chart that Ogden and Gallaher own the lions share of the UK market, that's St. Bruno and Condor really, but this excerpt is worth noting too:
"A few traditional names have gone, and more seem likely to follow, to be mourned by a dwindling handful of older smokers or by a small regional pocket of resistance in which loyalty to a former local manufacturer's name may still linger on."
Ain't that the sad truth?
:crying:
http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/documentStore/m/g/j/mgj30g00/Smgj30g00.pdf
And I reckon I'll toss this out here too, I'm always prowling for old cutter tops and have gotten surprisingly lucky online, recently I found an incredible stash but you had to "call for price", hoping against all odds that I'd be a lucky duck and getta good deal I actually did write and ask, sadly the prices are too high for me to gamble, but I'll link 'em here acause they ain't really a bad deal considering how rare they are and what similar cutter tops usually fetch --- the shop is in Australia, I asked the price for a wartime-era tin of Bulwark Cut Plug, it was $150AUD, which is $135USD, but shipping is expensive from Australia it always seems...they also got an Ogden's Coolie Cut Plug (I think this was a rather strange and exotic spiced blend?), a Craven Mixture Empire Blend, Mick McQuaid Cut Plug and St. Julien ---- of course, I'd love to have the whole quintet!!!!
http://www.xxxxantiques.com.au/
(search for tobacco tin)