We know that in 1950 Bertram made pipes only from the best unstained, unpainted, and unvarnished Algerian briar at prices from $1.50 to $10 for machine shaped and hand finshed pipes and the really gooderns that they called Straight Grains at $10, $12.50, $15, $20 and $25.
But, you had to give them two three digit shape numbers and hurry up and wait, until they got done making a high dollar grade pipe to your preferred shape or your second choice.
Quite the classy 1950 Washington DC pipe shop, while at the same time our brave boys were over in Korea where the Congress and President sent them, fighting and some dying that others might live free.
And Pipepedia (always a good starting point) tells us Bertram was there clear up to and a little beyond 1968.
Two smokes and my 40 stamped Bertram looks like a million bucks!


The World Almanac would tell the world what the inflation rate was in Washington DC but today we have the inflation calculators on our phones.
There was substantial inflation from 1950 to 1965.
And if my Bertram 40 was a $4 pipe in 1965 that would have been a helluva bargain!
But if a Bertram 40 was a $40 pipe in 1965:
I wonder which it was, $4 or $40?
Sing one Pretty Miss Norma Jean while I ponder this problem of current pricing.