Where my Ben Wade / Preben Holm homies at?

[fluffie666]

Sorry about the title. I had a lot of strong coffee this morning.
So I am trying to brush up on Ben Wade - Preben Holm era pipes. I understand that not many Ben Wade pipes were carved by him personally and as far as I can understand, even when he did actually carve freehand pipes for Ben Wade, it's difficult to tell which ones were made by him and which ones were carved by another person in the shop. That's my understanding. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I guess my question is about dating Ben Wades like the Golden Walnut, Straight Grain Natural, Hand Model, etc. How is it possible to narrow down a date by nomenclature? To me, deciphering stamps on a pipe is like trying to teach myself a new language. It's not easy for me. Any links to articles or explanations would be appreciated. I read the Pipephil and pipedia sites on Ben Wade and Preben Holm already, so I have that much.
Is it true that Ben Wade freehands stamped with a grade number like 100 or 200 were made after the 1970's? Grading like "Natural", can that be dated? How about Golden Walnut pipes with no grading stamp? Are those 1970's and earlier?
Sorry for the neurosis but I love these kinds of pipes, I love the whole Preben Holm history and I want to become more familiar with these pipes. Any neurotic Preben Holm experts or links out there?

 

[pylorns]

This is a Preben Holm Era

You can many times just look at them and they stick out, the styling, shaping.

 

[fluffie666]

Thanks pylorns. I understand "Ben Wade, MADE IN DENMARK, and the other nomenclature indicative of PH era BW's. I have the shapes down too. I can pick PH era Ben Wades out of a line up from across the room. I'm going to try and post pics so say your prayers.

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I know that's a Preben Holm era. This one is a Martinique with an acrylic stem. Nomenclature says
Ben Wade

MARTINIQUE

HAND MADE

IN

DENMARK
How can I narrow down the year it was made by looking at the nomenclature?

I have more pics but I'm going to wait see if this pic pls up on the post before I try for more.
Pylons, yours is marked 400. A very nice pipe I might add. What year did Ben Wade start using a numbered grading system?

 

[fluffie666]

Again with the pic...
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/petekestatepipes/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1484496418940-1866608837_zpswljxvjya.jpg.html]

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[fluffie666]

http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/petekestatepipes/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1203161425_zpswj0l9ec9.jpg.html?filters[user]=142748386&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=1
There's another Hand Model. That one is stamped 200 but check out that stem. Is that 1980's maybe?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Preben's workshop had the Ben Wade moniker from 1972 to 1989. From my understanding, the ones definitely made by Preben have a PH on the stem instead of BW. Preben Holm era just denotes the period of history when Preben's workshop had the name. Not just pipes carved by him personally, but pipes made by carvers in his workshop.

 

[toobfreak]

The original Ben Wade shop burned down in England and somehow PH came to own the rights to it during a period later on. I have a pipe with the same stamp just as pylorns shows above. It is my understanding that the number was a grading system, not dates. 100 was the "lowest quality" (more common grain pattern?) and I think it went up to 500 as the highest quality, though I've seen several of different numbers and they ALL look like fantastic briar. :: Probably just someone's subjective call. They are all killer pipes. I bought my Ben Wade in the early '70's. Saw it up on the wall in the local pipe shop and just had to have it. It's a beauty---- bigger bowl than most and looks like it was ripped off from a tree branch or something, all gnarly and wicked. :mrgreen:

 

[Chasing Embers]

Others like Frasorteret and II S also came out of Preben's workshop. Here's a II S I got last year.

 

[toobfreak]

Will Try again later.

 

[toobfreak]

Here's a picture of my PH Ben Wade I bought in the early '70's. I've not done anything especially particular in caring for it other than to smoke it a lot.
Well, I have now tried several times several different ways of pasting a picture into these forums following the complicated instructions to the letter and it does not work no matter what so screw it. And I must have spent an hour taking the pictures and creating a photobucket account to do it.
Anyone who can explain how you actually attach view-able pictures I'd like to know. And please don't tell me to see the thread on the homepage. Already done.

 

[toobfreak]

Geeeesh. Unbelievable. OK, here SHOULD be a rather small, limited picture of the pipe as only is apparently possible if you run Firefox:

 

[Chasing Embers]

Oooooh! Very nice grain on that one, and the shape is reminiscent of an acorn, or pickaxe. No doubt very comfortable in hand!

 

[toobfreak]

Sorry if the above had a little camera shake. I didn't want to use a flash.

A view of the grain on the backside.

Like I said, I've not given the pipe any special care since buying it. Cleaned a little char off the mouth of the bowl with some spit last year. In the original file sizes, the pipe looked a lot better which isn't half as nice as it looks in person. This is the NICEST freehand I've ever seen, and though there are all kinds of wild and crazy shapes out there, this one had just the right amount of everything that when I saw it in my teens I just knew I had to buy it! 2-inch deep bowl too!

 

[toobfreak]

shape is reminiscent of an acorn, or pickaxe. No doubt very comfortable in hand

Thanks Duane, it is. When I hold the pipe, it feels like clay that was just molded to fit my hand perfectly and that small wedge that juts out on the side of the stem can be used in all kinds of ways for alternate grips. Once every million years if I clean the thing up with some wax and polish, it really makes the grain leap out far nicer than these pictures suggest.
Aside from the shape, it was the grain that sold me on buying it. I think I paid $45 for it.
This pipe is so comfortable to hold and feels so natural in my hand, you can forget you are even holding it. I don't clench it in my teeth anymore because long ago it started leaving small bite marks and I was afraid I might damage the stem, but for me, the pipe strikes that perfect balance between that rugged, rough-hewn look and being a thing of cultured, sophisticated beauty.

 

[stanlaurel]

 

[4etecjonathan]

Your pipe is more beautiful than the past two put together.It will have a much higher value and hold it for many years to come.
Jon :puffpipe:

 

[papipeguy]

I got these 2 between 1972 and 1974 as I recall.

 

[stvalentine]

Your pictures are killing me! I feel a severe PAD coming my way.... 8O