What / When Exactly is the 'Patent Era'?

[mikethompson]

I hear this term tossed around a lot, but I don't know what or when it is.

Is this a definitive term? Does the patent era cover all pipes, or does each maker have their own 'patent era'?

 

[lightmybriar]

Each maker has their own timeline for patents. Dunhill’s run from 1915-1954, I believe.

 

[seanv]

Brigham was 1938 - 1955

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks for asking this, Mike, because I have been wondering as well. A patent era is a span of about 20 years in which a new invention (and it has to be a totally new concept and design) cannot be used by anyone else. After the 20 years is up, anyone can make their own versions of the invention.

What was Dunhill's totally new invention? Was it some form of filter?
I can see those Bringham maple rock liners being patented.

 

[scloyd]

I was wondering about this too.

 

[donjgiles]

Thanks for asking this, Mike, because I have been wondering as well. A patent era is a span of about 20 years in which a new invention (and it has to be a totally new concept and design) cannot be used by anyone else. After the 20 years is up, anyone can make their own versions of the invention.

What was Dunhill's totally new invention? Was it some form of filter?
I can see those Bringham maple rock liners being patented.

I believe the Dunhill patents were for the "shell" process and for the inner-tube.

 

[sablebrush52]

Patent eras vary for each maker, as do the various legal means by which exclusivity of use could be granted. There are patents, design registrations, copyrights, etc.
Patents are not limited to 20 years. They can be renewed to extend the period of coverage . Nor does a patent require something to be a totally new and unique concept.
It may cover an improved method, or a specific method of doing something that's already being done. Dunhill did not invent sandblasting, nor did they hold a patent on sandblasting though they may have been the first to use sandblasting as a decorative effect on briar pipes. The patent for sandblasting dates back to 1870. Dunhill would have patented their process, or some aspect of their process, of baking their briar as part of the sandblasting process.
Sasieni would come up with their own variation of baking their briar and patented that.
Barling has various patents and design registrations for filters and stem designs.
These various patents and design registrations would have been stamped onto the pipes, which is where we get the expression "patent era" as applied to smoking pipes.

 

[tg51]

Thanks for asking this, Mike, because I have been wondering as well. A patent era is a span of about 20 years in which a new invention (and it has to be a totally new concept and design) cannot be used by anyone else. After the 20 years is up, anyone can make their own versions of the invention.

What was Dunhill's totally new invention? Was it some form of filter?
I can see those Bringham maple rock liners being patented.

I was also interested in how each brand came up with their own "new innovation"

 

[tg51]

Patent eras vary for each maker, as do the various legal means by which exclusivity of use could be granted. There are patents, design registrations, copyrights, etc.
Patents are not limited to 20 years. They can be renewed to extend the period of coverage . Nor does a patent require something to be a totally new and unique concept.
It may cover an improved method, or a specific method of doing something that's already being done. Dunhill did not invent sandblasting, nor did they hold a patent on sandblasting though they may have been the first to use sandblasting as a decorative effect on briar pipes. The patent for sandblasting dates back to 1870. Dunhill would have patented their process, or some aspect of their process, of baking their briar as part of the sandblasting process.
Sasieni would come up with their own variation of baking their briar and patented that.
Barling has various patents and design registrations for filters and stem designs.
These various patents and design registrations would have been stamped onto the pipes, which is where we get the expression "patent era" as applied to smoking pipes.

Thank you for the info, very interesting to read about pipe history.

 

[mso489]

This whole patent bit harkens to a time when the pipe industry was intensely competitive and all kinds of features were claimed as exclusives to give a brand the edge. Stingers of all kinds, carburetors, various drilling configurations, and so on. I'm not sure I've ever bought a new pipe with a patent number stamped on it. Correct me if you think/know I'm wrong. Today I think the market edge is gained in other ways in a much smaller demographic. As I pointed out in another post, on the SP site, Savinelli's pages run to 39! They are definitely moving some pipes.

 

[forciori]

I'd like to make a little correction: Dunhill Patents Era began in 1910 with the Asorbal filter (639, JAN-1910 w/ REG.Nº 561949/10). In 1910 an Asorbal pipe was made part of that line with a filter similar to that of the cigarette. The Inner Tube patent was registered in 1912 and applied in 1913. I'm not considering the patent of the Windshield pipe (App 25261, registered in 1904 and applied in 1905), because it's from Dunhill's Motorities phase. Here you can see examples for Shell and Tanshell patents (1917-1954).

 

[lightmybriar]

I'd like to make a little correction: Dunhill Patents era began in 1910 with the Asorbal filter (639, JAN-1910 w/ REG.Nº 561949/10). In 1910 an Asorbal pipe was made part of that line with a filter similar to that of the cigarette. The Inner Tube patent was registered in 1912 and applied in 1913. I'm not considering the patent of the Windshield pipe (App 25261, registered in 1904 and applied in 1905), because it's from Dunhill's Motorities phase. Here you can see examples for Shell and Tanshell patents (1917-1954).

Just the clarification we needed! Thanks, Yang!

 

[mikethompson]

Thanks for asking this, Mike, because I have been wondering as well. A patent era is a span of about 20 years in which a new invention (and it has to be a totally new concept and design) cannot be used by anyone else. After the 20 years is up, anyone can make their own versions of the invention.

What was Dunhill's totally new invention? Was it some form of filter?
I can see those Bringham maple rock liners being patented.

I was wondering about this too.

well you don't find out unless you ask right?

I'm curious then, could a maker have two different patent eras? For example, say Peterson for the p-lip and then for their system pipes? (Peterson and examples given completely at random)

What makes a patent era pipe more desirable to the collector then?

Thanks for the replies gentlemen!

 

[ssjones]

The Peterson pipe patent era ran from 1890 to 1915 (or perhaps early 1920's by some)

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm curious then, could a maker have two different patent eras? For example, say Peterson for the p-lip and then for their system pipes?

They would certainly have overlapping Patents or Registered Designs. Barling had a number of them for various innovations in stem design, filters, etc., some of which were not put into production.

 

[mikethompson]

So would there be two different 'patent era's?

That would seem to complicate things a bit.

 

[sablebrush52]

So would there be two different 'patent era's?

That would seem to complicate things a bit.

It's useful for refining a date range for pipes that don't have a date stamp. For example, if a Barling I buy has 754068 stamped on the stem then I know that it dates to between 1930, when the REG'd Design number was granted, and 1944 when the number expired. It also tells me that the pipe was intended for the British market. I may be able to further refine that date range with other nomenclature.