Salmon & Gluckstein Pipes

[pitchfork]

Just picked up this pair of Salmon & Gluckstein pipes (one straight, one bent) and I know next to nothing about them. However, the price was right and I love their classic, turn-of-the-century styling. The hallmarks are a bit worn and the pics weren't great, but I'm sure I'll get a better read on them once they're in my hands.
Military Mount Bent Billiard (1911?)

Military Mount Billiard (1911?)

 

[pitchfork]

It'll be interesting to hear what you think once you get these pipes in your hands and smoke them.

Yeah, that could go a number of different ways, LOL.
I don't even know if they made their own pipes or not, but they were also a tobacco (cigarette) company that became part of Imperial Tobacco in 1901 or 1902.
There's more discussion of this company here:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/help-me-identify-this-pipe-1

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/antique-pipe
I was also able to find this:

The Civic Company Ltd of London was formed in 1921 out of the Imperial Tobacco Company (Fancy Goods Department) Ltd which was located in Fulham Palace Road Hammersmith. The Imperial Company itself was formed in 1901 in response to an aggressive take over raid in Britain by American Tobacco and involved the pooling of tobacco retail outlets including closely related items such as briar pipes. In 1902 Imperial purchased the Salmon & Gluckstein retail empire, which included a section that finished briar pipes, originally made in France, for sale in Britain. It is this unit that became the fancy goods department within Imperial and, ultimately in 1921, the Civic Company.

So maybe these, like many early "English" pipes, were actually made in France (St. Claude).

 

[pitchfork]

I was also able to find this. Apparently, Salmon and Gluckstein also owned Lyons tea rooms (which I assume is connected to the Lyons brand of tea, still sold today).

The Salmon and Gluckstein families, struggling Jewish families from the Netherlands and Germany respectively, had had a tough time in the East End of London. They weren't naturalised as citizens until 1861.
The two families worked extremely long hours in Aldgate High St; until 1887, their business interests united in the firm of Salmon & Gluckstein, tobacco manufacturers and tobacconists. So it would be interesting to know why the two families wanted to diversify into NEW business interests (catering). Initially the two men funded the food business, and eventually J. Lyons & Co. Ltd was registered as a limited public company.

http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com/2012/11/lyons-tea-rooms-salmon-and-gluckstein.html

I see they sold S & G tobaccos there.

 

[cigrmaster]

Very cool history on those pipes. They look really nice and I hope they smoke great for you.

 

[pitchfork]

Thanks, Harris. I'm just hoping the bowls are in good shape when they arrive.

 

[papipeguy]

Found this and hope it helps.
Salmon & Gluckstein
England
Enlarge

no logo on the stem
▲ (On band)
◊― S & G. LD ―◊
◊― [Anchor] [Lion Passant] [a] ―◊
▲ The date letter [a] of the Birmingham Assay Office indicates the year 1900. The stem is made of amber with a threaded horn tenon.
Salmon & Gluckstein Ltd was founded in 1873 by Barnett Salmon, Isidore and Montague Gluckstein. In 1901 the tobacconist owned 140 retail outlets. The brand was bought by Imperial Tobacco in 1902. Salmon & Gluckstein Ltd continued to trade with that name until the brand was dropped in 1955

 

[pitchfork]

Thanks, papipeguy. Seems all of the examples I've seen had silver work done in Birmingham.

 

[sallow]

I really like the look of army mounts. Those look very well done.

 

[batdemon]

Great score! :clap:

 

[fnord]

Wow.
I mean, Judas Priest. Wow.
They're beautiful, Pitchfork. Either one of those burners could've been tucked into the pocket of some young man right before he went over the top in that meat grinder they called WWI.
They're truly lovely and I hope they smoke well for you.
Fnord

 

[pitchfork]

Thanks, fnord. I'm pretty psyched to get my hands on them.
It's funny, I think what planted the antique pipe seed in my head were the drawings on GL Pease's "Classic Collection" series:

 

[fnord]

Inspiration, like grace, is all around us, Pitch. Why shouldn't some tin art work be your nudge?
Please share a detailed analysis after they arrive, you've swabbed out the innards with a rum or brandy doused pipe cleaner and fired up a bowl.
How long are these burners? How thick are the walls? And, more importantly, do they please you?
I am so looking forward to your report.
Fnord

 

[pitchfork]

Received both pipes in the mail today and the bowls are in GREAT shape. Plenty of cake, but completely structurally sound and no charring. I'll post pics of the refurb later, but I also discovered that the hallmarks are actually from 1896, not 1911 as I had thought earlier, so they're over 115 years old. Pretty psyched about these.

 

[rebornbriar]

Pitch, I think you have done the pipe smoking world a favour getting these beauties! You beat me by £1 on the straight pipe!!!!!!!
But go back and look at who the first bidder was who wanted to try and get them for £5

 

[pitchfork]

Pitch, I think you have done the pipe smoking world a favour getting these beauties! You beat me by £1 on the straight pipe!!!!!!! []

Sorry about that. :mrgreen: For those two auctions, I just set a bid and went to lunch -- didn't think I would actually win either of them.

But go back and look at who the first bidder was who wanted to try and get them for £5

That's really interesting. Don't know what to make of that, actually.

 

[pitchfork]

Here's some pics of the bent pipe after her first smoke (GLP Abingdon) and one pic of the straight pipe with its very thick cake and tarred over rim. I have to say, I actually like the old hole-in-the-end button (no slot, just a round hole). It's much more comfortable than I would have guessed. It helps, I suppose, that the pipe is fairly small and very, very light.

 

[rebornbriar]

They are beauties. I am still looking for a turn of the century pipe. I just think they ooze class and distinction.

 

[vabriar]

Great find thanks for sharing and what a great pair together.

 

[fazakerley]

First of all I'd like to point out that I'm a military collector, not a pipe aficionado.
The very weathered pipe shown below was found on V-Beach in Gallipoli, Turkey last summer. On April 25, 1915, the beach was the scene of intense fighting between the defending Turkish and the invading British troops. The black and white image shows Irish soldiers pinned down on the day. They are in the area where the pipe was located.
My question is this… Do you think that the weathered pipe might be an S&G model, similar to the bent example shown above?

 

[pitchfork]

fazakerley, as I said earlier in my PM, what an amazing find and what amazing pictures of the two pipes lined up together. Yours is slowly acquiring a sandblasted finish from the action of the sand and the sea.
I wonder if you couldn't find a similar pipe by another maker from this time period. If I come across one, I'll be sure to let you know.