WDC Estate Fraternity Pipe - Phi Kappa Alpha

[torque]

Below is the "Hesson Timeline" as best as I have been able to piece it together. I may find other evidence in the future that could cause me to modify some of my assumptions.
1897: Ferdinand Feuerbach begins working for William Demuth Company.
1903-1919: Mr. Feuerbach becomes the production manger for WDC. He is credited with introducing into production the Royal Demuth and Hesson Guard lines of smoking pipes.
1919: Mr. Feuerbach leaves William Demuth Company to run the S.M. Frank & Co. pipe factory
S.M. Frank & Co. History
1920: Albert Freeman is shown as vice president of the Tobacco Salesman's Association of America.
Tobacco: An Illustrated Weekly Journal
1923-???: The Hesson Pipe Co. shares the same physical address as Roy Brigham and Company (still in existence as Brigham Pipes LTD) in Toronto Canada.
Ontario Archaeological Society Study - Starts on Page 21
1926: Canadian Patent (CA257484) filed listing William Wallace Hesson as inventor and Albert Freeman as owner.
1927: Albert Freeman files for US Patent (US1727401) which bears striking resemblances to the Hesson threaded tennon/Inner Tube system.
1927: William Demuth Company begins US production of BBB Own Make pipes (as evidenced by the printed add in this thread), many using the Hesson threaded tennon system.
1928: Albert Freeman sells US based assets of the Hesson Pipe Company to William Demuth Company. These assets include Patent(s), machinery, and some raw materials.
WDC and Albert Freeman sued in court for breaking lease agreement after sale of Hesson Pipe Company Assets
1930: WW Hesson files for US Patent (US1855800) for his Hesson Guard system. I suspect that Mr. Hesson had held a Canadian patent on this system for many years prior, but since I can't access images of all of his Canadian patents, I can't substantiate this theory.

 

[tuold]

Fascinating stuff on WDC history. As I was reading it, the picture of that inner tube struck me as being familiar. Digging down into my pipe accumulations I found this WDC Milano that I had won on eBay some time ago. I'm paying a bit more attention to it now that I know some background info.

 

[torque]

That's actually very interesting Tuold. Is the stem material on that vulcanite or nylon? From your picture it appears the inverted triangle is painted on the stem instead of inserted. I was under the impression all of those carried the "Lockmount" system but yours definitely blows that theory out the window. Below is a picture of mine from a Milano Extra.

 

[tuold]

The stem is vulcanite. The triangle is lightly stamped and painted. The bottom of the shank is stamped "Hesson Guard" and

the patent number.

 

[misterlowercase]

A bit late here,

but here are a few more pix of the BBB...

​

It is seriously one of my favorite pipes --- it smokes itself, delivers full true taste every time, with a *perfect* draw, has an incredible blast, and a lovely shape.
Since I know it was made by WDC, it has led me to keep an eye out for WDC's of this period and specific Hesson fitment because I just love it so much...
...since this is already such a great thread, with much pertinent and valuable info, I'll just add this tangent here on topic of the Ripple Briar, and a little more about William Wallace Hesson.

Recently,

there was an absolutely incredible Milano on the 'bay, unsmoked with box and "insurance paper", it had an outstanding blast, the seller didn't mention anything about Ripple but I suspect it is one.
It was fairly high priced I guess, but I simply had to have it.
It's not here yet.
More pix upon delivery!
Vintage WDC/Demuth Milano Pipe never used with box
My apologies if I was competing with anyone here.

These pipes are somewhat scarce and aren't exactly flooding the market.
Here's all the ones listed on Worthpoint, but missing several from lots where the pix weren't good, and of course WP isn't a definitive record because sometimes pipes get listed with odd descriptions and wouldn't show up in the searchterms I set,

anyway...

And one from SmokingPipes...

Some ads...
1924

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929

1931

Finally,

to the man himself,

William Wallace Hesson.
Although he must've been a highly creative and inventive person, I have found very very little about his actual life.
He filed quite a few patents, and not just for pipes.
One trace I did find is here,

from 1901:

Before we get to the Hesson Patent,

here's a couple of oddballs...
From 1918,

a strange alternate composition material for pipe making:

http://www.google.com/patents/US1455396
And from 1919:

Now,

the Hesson Patents which were used by WDC...
1920

http://www.google.com/patents/US1464359
1925

http://www.google.com/patents/US1566866
1930

http://rebornpipes.com/tag/wdc-milano-hesson-guard-pipes/
1938

http://www.google.com/patents/US2188751
Any additional info is highly welcomed!!!!!

::

 

[misterlowercase]

A couple of other tidbits...
A lovat I'd LOVE to have!
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-bbb-hesson-pipe
Just found this auction from 2007, it has a very interesting footnote:

I have been told, by one of those incredibly knowledgeable experts who are found on eBay that this pipe was made in the late 1920's by DeMuth under license to BBB.

+
This guy loved his Hesson pipe so much that he put a "lost pipe" ad in the paper!
circa 1928
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1996&dat=19281121&id=sqYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pa8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4279,937094&hl=en
+
Hesson pipes ad circa 1926,

bottom RH corner pg 1

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2021/Buffalo%20NY%20Courier%20Express/Buffalo%20NY%20Courier%20Express%201926/Buffalo%20NY%20Courier%20Express%201926%20-%200555.pdf
Note that WDC isn't specified, but could be a tobacconist's exclusion,

however, a search for "hesson pipe" on googlebooks get a couple of hits, sadly only snippets, one is an ad from a 1927 ed. of Life Magazine,

the other,

from Printers' Ink - Volume 138, Issue 2 - Page 142,

sez:

Hesson Pipe Account to Alfred J. Silberstein The Hesson Company, New York, manufacturer of Hesson pipes, has appointed Alfred J. Silberstein, Inc., New York advertising agency, to direct its advertising account.

Neat stuff.

:!:

 

[torque]

mlc,
I like the hesson threaded so much I think I'm up to 7 of them now. I finally had to make myself stop, lol. I was buying more old WDC pipes than I had time to clean up so you certainly weren't competing with me on that boxed milano. Gratz by the way, that is one beutiful old instrument. When looking for those old threaded Hessons just remember that the Dec.22.1925 patent date is the tell-tale that it's the hesson threaded. Of the 7 I have, they all have that specific patent date and of the 40+ WDC I own, no other model has that date.

 

[tuold]

Torque, do you have any information on the "Seville" line of WDC pipes? I won a nice bulldog pipe on ebay with that name stamped on it. It has a nice triangular shank and stem. I'll clean it up and post pictures this weekend.

 

[torque]

Hi tuold,
Sorry I didn't get back with you sooner, just read this one as I don't come on here as often as I used to. The Seville is actually one of the few models of WDCs that I don't own so never really dug to deeply into that line. I know Xrundog has a wealth of information on the brand, hopefully he or mlc will see this and be able to help.

 

[jguss]

Hi Tuold:
The Seville was introduced in early 1923, and was one of three new lines made out of "natural Italian briar". The three consisted of the Aristocrat (priced then at $5 and up), the Seville, and the Sovereign (both the latter then priced at $2.50 and up).
A contemporaneous trade article stated that "These pipes are made of the finest selection of Italian root briar and are finished without stain or varnish. The rare beauty and rich color of the natural Italian briar root is preserved and enhanced by a secret Demuth process. With use the bowls acquire a deeper and richer color."
Note that the Seville was offered at that time with the "self-cleaning tube feature", as were the Scoopit, Tubo, Classic, Turin, Milano and Milano Supreme.
Enjoy your bulldog!
Best,

Jon

 

[tuold]

jguss, thank you very much for that information. My Seville looks like it was hardly used at all. Hard to believe it could be as old as that! I'll enjoy it even more now.
Mike

 

[tuold]

I finally got the Seville in order this afternoon. I think a good cleaning was all that was needed.

 

[tuold]

Here are a couple of WDC ads from a tobacco trade magazine from the early-mid 20s.