The Unstamped Pipe (Stealth Pipes)

[mso489]

I think I have only two completely unstamped pipes, and even they have "Italy" stamped on the stem. One I feel sure is a Savenelli, an unfinished billiard; my several other unfinished Sav's have the logo on the shank. I also have what was purchased as an Iwan Ries house pipe, which arrived with no stamp, not Iwan Ries and not the maker. It's a big (Group 6) bent billiard with "Italy" on the stem and no other stamping. It's great for Semois, domestic burley, and long smokes of English blends. For years -- I'm not kidding -- I've been tempted by a small, inexpensive unstamped pipe from a name French pipe maker, but it's lack of stamp puzzles me. It's online so I can't handle it, as I did handle the unfinished (Sav?) billiard. The attraction is a partcularly snappy shape, bowl and stem. I suspect it is some kind of apprentice pipe production done by trainees at the workshop. Otherwise why wouldn't they stamp it? I'm always intrigued by unstamped pipes offered online. Both of mine are serviceable and pleasing pipes, especially the suspected Sav. How about your unstamped pipes? What do you have? How do you feel about it/them? Do you like the mystery or resent the abdication of the pipe makers who send these into the market without identification? Usually unstamped pipes are a whale of a good deal, and that's the main excuse for buying them.

 

[aldecaker]

The only unstamped pipe I have, without even a country of origin stamp, is a smallish billiard I purchased unsmoked at a Goodwill store. It was in a bag with a smoked, abused, tortured, stinky mess of a smallish Dublin stamped only "France". The two were obviously fraternal twins; same coloring, same finish, same size group, same stem material. The Dublin is no longer with me; the billiard I will probably never part with. As I mentioned in a previous thread, it is an obvious close cousin to the BSC billiard I purchased from SPC, and a flake burner extraordinaire. I kind of like the mystery, rather than being frustrated by the lack of ID.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I agree mso! Unstamped pipes are intriguing to me as long as they have some redeeming qualities. I usually figure if they're obviously not really crappy basket pipes, they are a manufacturers second. It's like a puzzle trying to figure out who made it. And I also figure if the pipe is reasonably priced, I'd be willing to take a chance on it.
But my two favorites are a smooth large bent pot only stamped Straight Grain on one side, and 622KS Italy on the other side. From that I believe it to be a Savinelli product, and it really does have wonderful straight grain all around the bowl. It's flaw? A fill on the top of the bowl, but because the top is all birds eye, it's not too noticable. My other fave, is a really nice blasted bent apple/egg style the has a pretty nice ring grain on both sides of the bowl. It's has an upside down stamp on the right side that says, 529 Made In England. It has no flaws that I can see outside of the odd stamping, and I have no idea who might have made it. Both are very nice smoking pipes, and see regular use in my rotation.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have several no-names, bought 50 years ago, most likely at Wilkie in NYC or Iwan Ries in Chicago. Unfinished, light colored, through time and use including nose sheen, they have a nice patina and are pretty dark. Now I wish I had kept notes on what came from where....