The largest pipe I own is a huge German hunting pipe with removable bowl and elm stem and buffalo horn bit.
One of the smallest (other than true miniatures) is this small Dr Grabow Crown Duke, that’s just the same size as my pipe smoking mentor Harry Hosterman used to prefer.
In between those I own six of the largest size regular production pipes Bob Marx sold, which are obviously larger than a C size and aren’t 400s. This is one of my beloved “Big Boy” Marxman pipes, which I think were the $15 size.
The first task of any consumer product is and always has been to sell at a profit to a customer.
Those huge German hunting pipes were made for lovesick Frauliens to give to their American soldier boyfriends, and the makers didn’t and don’t sell many.
Wilda Mae Hosterman gave Harry a new small Dr Grabow every birthday and they sold Grabows by countless millions.
The smaller a pipe is the less it costs to make, all else being equal such as grade of briar and quality of construction.
But since a pipe is a little portable furnace used to light fires and burn dried out plants, the larger the bowl, and the longer the stem, the cooler the smoke will tend to be and most men will be prouder to own a larger pipe than a littler one.
The vast majority of my nearly bottomless stash of pipes are what in the forties was referred to as medium size. Marx usually left his medium “A” size unstamped, then at $7.50 the large pipes are usually stamped B, and his “Massive” $10 size usually have a C stamp, but for the ridiculously large $15 size they should be stamped D but I don’t find size stamps, on mine.
For the American market makers have always kept pipes intended to be carried about 5 1/2” to 6” overall length regardless of bowl size.
The red boxes Marx used to ship the product were 7” long and 2 1/4” wide and his largest $15 size Big Boy billiard will just barely fit.
One of the smallest (other than true miniatures) is this small Dr Grabow Crown Duke, that’s just the same size as my pipe smoking mentor Harry Hosterman used to prefer.
In between those I own six of the largest size regular production pipes Bob Marx sold, which are obviously larger than a C size and aren’t 400s. This is one of my beloved “Big Boy” Marxman pipes, which I think were the $15 size.
The first task of any consumer product is and always has been to sell at a profit to a customer.
Those huge German hunting pipes were made for lovesick Frauliens to give to their American soldier boyfriends, and the makers didn’t and don’t sell many.
Wilda Mae Hosterman gave Harry a new small Dr Grabow every birthday and they sold Grabows by countless millions.
The smaller a pipe is the less it costs to make, all else being equal such as grade of briar and quality of construction.
But since a pipe is a little portable furnace used to light fires and burn dried out plants, the larger the bowl, and the longer the stem, the cooler the smoke will tend to be and most men will be prouder to own a larger pipe than a littler one.
The vast majority of my nearly bottomless stash of pipes are what in the forties was referred to as medium size. Marx usually left his medium “A” size unstamped, then at $7.50 the large pipes are usually stamped B, and his “Massive” $10 size usually have a C stamp, but for the ridiculously large $15 size they should be stamped D but I don’t find size stamps, on mine.
For the American market makers have always kept pipes intended to be carried about 5 1/2” to 6” overall length regardless of bowl size.
The red boxes Marx used to ship the product were 7” long and 2 1/4” wide and his largest $15 size Big Boy billiard will just barely fit.
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