Recently Acquired Pipe With a History

[lawmax3]

I recently acquired a couple of cheap pipes from ebay they are really nothing special just an older John Middleton billiard and a Wally Frank Churcwarden. I am in the process of cleaning them up now so no pics yet.

The thing that led me to purchase them was their known history.

I have often wondered who may have owned/smoked the older estate pipes that I enjoy so much.

It just so happened that the ebay seller provided information that these two pipes were previously owned by a 1923 Dartmouth Grad, WWII officer and Pennsylvania doctor. I have never had any background information on my pipes but I thought it was interesting and I will be looking for this type of info in the future.

 

[beefeater33]

Hey Law-

I bought one of the Dunhills from that same batch. I too thought it was interesting, knowing the background of the pipes. Also like the fact that these were most likely purchased new by Dr. Taylor, they haven't been through a lot of owners. I had my eye on that churchwarden, never seen one quite like it. I'm happy with the Dunny I got, I don't think I'll "restore" it, just give it a good cleaning and smoke it. Wow- if that pipe could talk!! (I got the 1923 billiard).

 

[pitchfork]

I was interested in that group as well, mainly for the Dartmouth BBB, which was stamped "Made in USA" on the shank, while the band was stamped "BBB," but had faux hallmarks. I never knew that BBB pipes were ever "Made in USA," but there it was.

 

[beefeater33]

Pitch-

That one was interesting. I'm not very versed at figuring out hallmarks, but those did look odd. Those college insignia pipes were neat. Perhaps the BBB pipes were shipped here as blanks, and the different schools had them modified?, for Graduation gifts and whatnot?

 

[pitchfork]

beefeater, that's what I would guess. BBB at that time had a massive, global distribution network, so anything's possible. But the college pipes were very popular -- I've come across several ads from American tobacco shops advertising them and I guess it would make a lot more sense to have them done in the U.S. rather than shipping them over. I'll have to keep my open when other college pipes come up for sale and see how they're marked.

 

[lawmax3]

beef you lucky duck! Congrats those Dunhills were all very nice.

I bid on the military mount billiard but it just went too high for me.

 

[papipeguy]

You're lucky to receive that level of provenance for the pipes. Very rare indeed.

 

[beefeater33]

Law-

Yea, that military mount was sweet, but damn, way too much $$!!

Truth be told, I probably paid too much for mine, but 1923 Dunnies don't come around everyday, and a man has to have a few vices! HA!!

Funny you posted this thread, as I was sitting here looking at the pipe when you posted.......

Have you smoked yours yet?

papieguy-- Indeed, its rare to get an estate with that provenance, this old guy graduated college in 1923, and my pipe was a '23--makes me think it was a gift for himself, and a well-deserved one!

 

[lawmax3]

beef just sent you a message with a little more info I got from the ebay seller.

I just finished smoking the churchwarden. Smoked good for just being cleaned. I am still working on the billiard.

 

[daveinlax]

My pipes are fairly modern but I enjoy knowing a pipes history. For the most part eBay is fairly anonymous but I usually ask and have occasionally got some information. Pipes shows are better and some of my pipes I know every detail from when/where the pipe was bought new, who has owned it and interesting details of trades and collection it been part of. I was selecting pipes for the WCPS today and was looking at pieces that have been in some great collections over the years. 8O

 

[sablebrush52]

It is fun to have pipes with a bit of history to them. I own two of Alfred Hitchcock's Dunhills and two of William Conrad's Charatans. If those pipes could talk, what stories would they tell?

 

[mso489]

sablebrush, great stuff! Hitchcock Dunhills. What acquisitions.

 

[beefeater33]

Wow! Sable-- Thats so cool. Those pipes are priceless, and I haven't even seen them. I enjoy the relics, when their past is known. It adds so much to the experience. Just curious, what are the Dunnies? Straight, bent, shells, rootbriars? any chance for pics?

 

[sablebrush52]

@ beefeater - I Haven't looked at those Dunhills in quite a while, but as I recall, they were bents and small, probably 3's, and were bruyeres. One was a Dublin. Hitchcock was an immaculate film maker, but as a pipe owner he was a slob. I don't know if he ever reamed his pipes. It took quite a bit of work to restore them. One needs a stem replacement, and once I get that done I'll photograph them and put them up. But visually there's nothing special, they're just Dunnies. The two Charatans I'd smoked for many years and they're really solid pipes with very nice grain. Once I started smoking Barlings, I kinda lost interest in the other pipes. I really should start using them again. They were very nice pipes.

 

[danielplainview]

I've always thought bringing an old pipe back to life is much more interesting than buying a new one. Alas, sometimes I see a new pipe I can't live without.

 

[owen]

The BBB caught my eye also. But went for big money. There was also one of douglas Baders pipe sold on e bay recently now if that was legit that would have some stories.

 

[misterlowercase]

The Wally Frank White Bar pipes are very good too.
Prior to WW2,

there was a WDC/BBB connection,

as seen with the advertisement that Buroak posted in this thread:

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/wdc-estate-fraternity-pipe-phi-kappa-alpha

 

[csharp]

Ebay links please to the pipes from the estate the op is talking about.
Thanks

 

[sablebrush52]

Ebay links please to the pipes from the estate the op is talking about.

The thread is a year old. Even if the OP could locate it, the images will have been deleted long, long ago.

 

[csharp]

@sablebrush52 Thank you. I thought it was a new thread.