Just a quick question...if a pipe is simply stamped "imported briar" or "genuine briar", does that automatically mean it is a no-name pipe? And is there any reliable way to find out a maker if there is no name stamped on it? Not that I won't love the pipe in question any less, of course!
Unbranded Pipes
- Thread starter Donb1972
- Start date
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Results will vary widely. Usually pipes unstamped or stamped with generic words like Italy, Imported Briar, etc., are seconds. I plucked one out of my local independent pipe shop basket years ago, an unfinished yacht, that the owner assured me was a Savinelli, at an excellent price, and George knows his stuff. I still have it years later. It has colored into a deep finish that looks stained with a high polish, with no added wax and just hand polishing over the years. It is clearly a Savinelli 404 shape and an excellent smoker.
Other basket pipes can be poorly made. You just have to look at enough good quality pipes while window shopping to tell the difference. Look at many more pipes than you buy.
Other basket pipes can be poorly made. You just have to look at enough good quality pipes while window shopping to tell the difference. Look at many more pipes than you buy.
I think that would be the definition of a no name pipe. It's good to know that it's made of briar instead of some less appropriate wood.
I would regard the lack of a name as an indication that the maker didn't choose to be associated with it.
I would regard the lack of a name as an indication that the maker didn't choose to be associated with it.
Historically, the words "Imported Briar" stamped on a pipe meant that the pipe was made in the U.S. This was standard for branded and no-name pipes after World War II when access to briar was again possible. During the war, briar harvesting areas were battlefields, so pipes in the U.S. were made out of other woods like maple and mountain laurel. It was a big selling point that you could again buy a pipe made out of briar. This "Imported Briar" stamp became a standard one long after the war, and some still use it today.
Thanks for the responses! I knew it wasn't going to be a big name pipe or anything like that. Frankly, I don't see why the maker would choose not to be associated with the pipe in question ~ it smokes great, looks great, no fills, nice grain. But I guess artisans in every field have their reasons ?
It could have been ordered by a retailer who was going to put his own stamp on it and never got to it. Could be other reasons, such as lifted from a production run at a high end shop.
But, yeah, pretty much it's the definition of "no name".
But, yeah, pretty much it's the definition of "no name".
I would think that pipe makers are in the business of selling pipes and they have to do something with all that briar that does not become the top of the line pipe. I would think that they just make all the rest pipes for resale to other pipe companies, stores, etc. I have an algerian briar pipe with no name on it. It did have a fluer de lis on the stem and the stem was an unusual shape I have only seen on one other GBD pipe. GBD had a subsidiary line called Fleur de lis that was meershaum lined (mine isn't). It smokes perfectly. I'm going with the story its a GBD second even though I can't prove it. I also can't prove its not !
Someone recently found an unsigned marble statue in a back yard that turned out to be made by someone famous and is worth $10.5 mil ... The worth of good pipe is what its worth to you ! I wouldn't sell my Algerian briar even though I have more expensive pipes ... more expensive but not necessarily 'better' !
This is what I was trying to get at, but my brain works much faster than my fingers, so I often don't express myself as clearly as I think I do ?
I was trying to learn if there is a resource out there that could help in identifying the maker...like a book or website that lists, for example, things like: these makers produced cavalier pipes. Of these, these two used vulcanite endcaps.
I've always wanted a cavalier, and I finally got one. Now I'm just curious where he came from...I don't care if it was a big name or small name maker. Just pure curiosity
You just have to look everywhere ! It took me a few years to find a similar looking GBD stem, then I found this site which led me to Pipedia which led me to Fleur de Lis as a sub-brand, then I read about Algerian briar on this site and on-line encyclopedia and then I just made up my own legend to suit my ego !! The process is more enjoyable than the answer ! Keep looking for pipes like yours with similar markings, shape, color, size, etc. As for how you described the issue: I understood what you were saying fine and i'm sure everyone else did too !
If they didn't think enough of it to give it a name, how good do you think it is? 
My unbranded Algerian briar despite some fills is one of the finest pipes I own ... I consider it a perfect smoke. I have an unbranded London Pride which is a Comoy second without the Comoy brandname and I cannot see anything that would make it a second; but for a small fill inside the rim of my Erica pipe (Peterson 307 De Luxe System) it is a perfect pipe (360 degree flame grain and birdseye on bottom) ; I gave my nephew two Irish seconds unbranded (Peterson seconds) upon which I could find no flaws ... so ... based on this limited experience I would say ... pretty darn good ! But, as always, YMMV.If they didn't think enough of it to give it a name, how good do you think it is?
I also see nothing wrong with my cavalier: no fills, smokes perfectly, well-proportioned. I don't know what the maker saw that was wrong with it, but I love it. So I guess that's what countsIf they didn't think enough of it to give it a name, how good do you think it is?
The name possibly could have been buffed off the pipe by an overzealous cleaner of the pipe.
No signature, no brand name and is the largest and best drilled of my meerschaums. Cost $100 less than my smallest IMP.If they didn't think enough of it to give it a name, how good do you think it is?
IIRC, the concept behind a shirasaya katana sword was that a plain wood scabbard was used and no engravings on the blade so as not to detract from the sheer beauty of a perfect sword ... I think your pipe could be a shirasaya class pipe ! Beautiful !
It really surprised me. The specifications listed at SPC reflected its size but seeing it was still something else altogether. They listed it with AKB pipes because they had no other listings for meerschaums other than IMP but those have the brand insignia on their stems. SPC had no idea who made it and something that large with that much detail more often than not bears its carver's signature. It is a bit of a mystery.
I repeat: Just because there's no visible nomenclature, that does not condemn all such pipes to second class citizen's status.
You're right. If my pipe is the equivalent of the "crazy first wife chained up in the attic" from Jane Eyre, so be it. ?
If you're a collector it'd make a ton of difference. There aren't any collectors among the new folks, so my statement stands.
Are you a collector?