What’s a Grabow, Alex?

[milk]

I bought this pipe for its beautiful blast (seller’s pics, not mine) believing pipedia’s info which, according to this article, is wrong:
Wimbledon Pipes : The History & Facts - https://baccypipes.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/wimbledon-pipes-the-history-facts/Wimbledon Pipes : The History & Facts - https://baccypipes.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/wimbledon-pipes-the-history-facts/

So, it looks to me like “Wimbledon” pipes were probably never made 70 years ago by Briarcraft but, rather, were made by Dr. Grabow and acquired (perhaps in the 80s) by sending six coupons from large tins of Borkum Riff tobacco plus $4.95 to their factory in North Carolina. Now, I don’t know much at all about Grabow. Some of them look darn cheap. But this pipe has a mighty fine sandblast. Those Grabow Amphoras have really nice blasts as well.

 

[coys]

It seems there were several codger tobaccos that offered these coupon promotions where you could get a free pipe, the pipes being made private label for them by the Dr Grabow company.

 

[milk]

It seems there were several codger tobaccos that offered these coupon promotions where you could get a free pipe, the pipes being made private label for them by the Dr Grabow company.

I have/had a prejudice against Grabow. This is a nice looking pipe. Right, I’ve never had any Codger blends but I’ve heard this. I guess this goes way back. I see some nice looking pipes on Reborn that seem to be coupon pipes. Borkum gets pretty terrible reviews so it’s either a pleasure or torture to get this pipe new.

 

[Grangerous]

Lane used to offer a “free pipe” with a returned box label back in the 70’s.

I remember receiving it in an unmarked, white cardboard box.

For the life of me, I can’t remember the pipe!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Dr Grabow's sandblast is a bit of difficult thing to explain. For years and years Sparta Pipe Co stayed away from sandblasted and did not produce one at all. They made several attempts and were not satisfied with any of them but kept at it until they could bring something to market that was attractive. The end result was the Commodore and Sculptura lines in the 60's and 70's. And even then they were only made in very small quantities. The blasts were spectacular, which was the antithetical to sea of cheap ill fashioned pies that Grabow was producing at the time. Dr Grabow made some of the absolute best sandblasts of that era, especially for an American pipe company whom only made pipes for the very bottom end of the market. Many of the blasts from that era were also made for private label and coupon retail, which is what your pipe is. Dr. G sandblasts can actually bring decent money on the secondary market, definitely much more than then their smooth and carved counterparts. But they are few and far between.

One of my Commodores.

 

[milk]

Dr Grabow's sandblast is a bit of difficult thing to explain. For years and years Sparta Pipe Co stayed away from sandblasted and did not produce one at all. They made several attempts and were not satisfied with any of them but kept at it until they could bring something to market that was attractive. The end result was the Commodore and Sculptura lines in the 60's and 70's. And even then they were only made in very small quantities. The blasts were spectacular, which was the antithetical to sea of cheap ill fashioned pies that Grabow was producing at the time. Dr Grabow made some of the absolute best sandblasts of that era, especially for an American pipe company whom only made pipes for the very bottom end of the market. Many of the blasts from that era were also made for private label and coupon retail, which is what your pipe is. Dr. G sandblasts can actually bring decent money on the secondary market, definitely much more than then their smooth and carved counterparts. But they are few and far between.

One of my Commodores.
View attachment 278319View attachment 278320View attachment 278321

Wonderful. And thanks for the input. This is what I was looking for. I just didn’t understand how they could produce these beautiful pipes, including yours, mine and, as I mentioned, the Amphora line (the name they bought from Holland). It makes a little more sense now. It’s strange.

 

[FurCoat]

It seems there were several codger tobaccos that offered these coupon promotions where you could get a free pipe, the pipes being made private label for them by the Dr Grabow company.

SWR had this type of promotion in which they offered a Brewster in '64. According to Reborn Pipes, the pipes came from Rossi. I have one that is unsmoked.

 

[milk]

SWR had this type of promotion in which they offered a Brewster in '64. According to Reborn Pipes, the pipes came from Rossi.View attachment 279167 I have one that is unsmoked.

Why are these promotional pipes so nice looking?

 

[FurCoat]

That's a good question. These pipes were ordered in large quantities on a limited time frame. It speaks volumes to the pride these companies and their craftsman had in their products.