Sasieni King Size Billiard Pair

[dmcmtk]

And another one from Mike, a Two Dot with a stem similar to Mr. Bovineconsumer's,
http://www.briarblues.com/f373.htm
I have to think Sasieni had jigs for the drilling of both the Four Dot and Two Dot stem inlays. George, any thoughts on this?

 

[jguss]

George, beautiful pipes. I can see why the bottom one makes the desert island cut.
Sasieni's are not so much my thing, though, so I do have a stupid question. Does anyone know when the company began using the King Size stamp? I do know that it only started appearing in the RTDA annuals in the late fifties, starting with the Rustic in 1958 and 1959/60 issues. By the 1964/65 edition Walnut and Natural appeared (I don't have the intervening years handy so I'm not sure exactly when they were added).
I know that non-appearance is not evidence; it just shows what information the company chose to provide. But I am curious if it's known when Sasieni starting marking pipes with that stamp. Off-hand I don't recall seeing King Size advertised or cited in any of the trade journals, but that's probably an artifact of an impaired memory.

 

[georged]

I have to think Sasieni had jigs for the drilling of both the Four Dot and Two Dot stem inlays. George, any thoughts on this?

Interesting question.
It's virtually certain that some sort of flexible template was used to mark the dot position, but an actual jig (a holed steel plate thick enough to guide drill bits) would present a lot of problems.
Keep in mind that no two pipes are exactly alike, and shank size & radius varies a LOT. Some are even flat-sided. The problem is holding a flat jig in an exact position against/near a curved wooden surface solidly enough to run a drill bit through it repeatedly without the jig/pipe relationship shifting. That's much more difficult than it sounds.
A miniature diamond-pattern gang drill would seem to be the obvious solution, except making and using one of those would also be more difficult than it sounds.
My best guess is that the dot positions were simply marked using a thin, flexible, steel template for spacing accuracy and alignment, and the the holes themselves "eyeball drilled" by a skilled worker using a dedicated drill press that had a leather-lined U-block or V-block to support the pipe's shank. One hand to move/adjust the pipe, the other to pull the quill down. The fact that it isn't hard to find four dot specimens where the diamond pattern is slightly dodgy supports that guess, I think.

 

[ashdigger]

I would have commented earlier, but I drooled too much and shorted out my computer.
Very, very nice pipes.

 

[ssjones]

Here's my Viscount Lascelles with XS stamp. The nomenclature is worn, but mostly legible, but boy is it a great pipe.

 

[beefeater33]

Thanks for the info guys.

And George- those are wonderful pipes you have there.......Its rare to see one in a photo, let alone two side by side!! My apologies for not commenting earlier--- In my excitement of seeing this thread, just a day after I received my King Size, I got all excited and forgot to comment......... :crazy:
I suppose the human error theory has some credence, I've looked at them under a 10X loupe, and they appear to be the same color/tint, just sized different.......... Maybe a Monday morning pipe, or one after a "proper" ploughman's at the pub??
@dmcmtk- Thanks for the link. I had read about and seen the Viscount Lascelles in the past, but was under the impression that they were all stamped as such, with no shape number. Or are you suggesting the 56 replaced the Viscount? And does anyone know what the SG means?....... my guess is "S" denotes "saddle bit", but the "G"???
Al, I remember seeing that Beauty of yours, but its been a while. I have to admit the tapered stem lends much more elegance and grace to this shape............... That one really has the curves, and glad to hear its a great smoker......
Hope to get this one cleaned up soon and put fire to it............. ::
EDIT: Is just me, or does "Sasieni Fever" hit about this time every year?? I remember some epic threads in the past... (MLC..... sorely missed!)

 

[dmcmtk]

@dmcmtk- Thanks for the link. I had read about and seen the Viscount Lascelles in the past, but was under the impression that they were all stamped as such, with no shape number. Or are you suggesting the 56 replaced the Viscount? And does anyone know what the SG means?....... my guess is "S" denotes "saddle bit", but the "G"???

The Four Dot pipes were marked Viscount Lascelles, which was shape 56. Only the shape number was used on the "seconds". Here is my Windsor 56,

I think you are correct, the S on your pipe is for the saddle stem, I'm assuming the G is for...Giant. The XS mark on Al's pipe above is for Xtra Special. This was for certain shapes that were priced at a premium in all the lines, The Buckingham (55), the Amesbury (44), the Oom Paul (80), the Danzey (79), the Edgeware (93), and the Viscount Lascelles (56).

 

[beefeater33]

The Four Dot pipes were marked Viscount Lascelles, which was shape 56. Only the shape number was used on the "seconds"

--- That makes sense...... Thanks!........

That Windsor 56 is a Beauty too........................ ::

 

[ssjones]

I also wondered what the "G" stood for. Giant makes sense.
As jguss asked, I can't find anything on when the use of the King Size stamp began. Lost to time I guess.

 

[disinformatique]

I dont own any Sasieni pipes, but damn those are some beauties George.
Chris