The Marxman Bug Bites Again!

[huntertrw]

Today whilst perusing an antique mall, I happened upon a tray containing three estate smooth-finish billiard pipes. Two were the usual mall dogs, but the third looked like quality. Upon closer examination I saw the familiar Marxman logo, noted that although it was old and somewhat grimy, the briar and fish-tail stem were in good shape. I could not see a model stamp; however, I judged it worth the $9.00 asking price, and so brought it home.

After cleaning the bowl I found that it is a Super Briar with grain that is simply beautiful. I pared-down the thick cake in the bowl using my Kleen Reem reamer, scrubbed the shank and stem, and the bowl is now undergoing the salt-and-alcohol treatment. Based upon the amount of tar I removed from the stem, this pipe's former owner wasn't too particular on keeping it clean.

The one thing that surprised me is that the stem featured a ball-type stinger, which I removed. Were stingers common to all Marxmans, or only were they only used on early production? Also, the bowl has a natural (not stained) finish; was this a feature of the Super Briar line?

I'm looking forward to firing-up this pipe, for if my Bench Made billard is any example, that will surely be the start of a beautiful friendship.

 

[buckaroo]

Yeah, a handful of my Marxman's (1st started buying in 2008) had removeable stingers. Some were flat arrow like ones with Marxman on them. I have no idea if that indicates age, but if you get a pipe with a stinger still on it, it's a survivor and probably was not smoked that much, which could be good. Hope she smokes well.

 

[Briar Lee]

The high toned 400 series for the captains of industry and barons of finance didn’t have stingers, but lesser pipes are sometimes found with either a flat arrow type or a ring and ball type stinger.

Careful, careful, careful removing that stinger. I’ve broken a AAA special advertising model Morocco stem getting it out.

Soak in alcohol and twist carefully.

There were three $5 and up grade Marxman pipes, the Benchmade, the Jumbo, and Super Briar.

Jumbo was actually as much a shape as a grade. Benchmades tend to be square panel and a Jumbo a sort of Dublin, but there were Benchmade Jumbos.

No Benchmade, Jumbo or Super Briar was stained. All naturals. You could chose from 12 shapes on a Super Briar. Marx chose your shape on the Benchmades and Jumbos.

The Super Briar had prettier grain (but remember we are talking about Marxmans here).

Marx used the softest, sponge like Algerian on the market.

They ought to hold ghosts and get nasty but I’ve never seen one yet that does.

Cake won’t stick to a Marxman. It flakes off. The goo dissolves leaving that light dog turd brown shade that quickly colors to a reddish brown putrid dog turd color.

I just love em!

Mostly for how well they smoke.