J.M. Boswell is one of the first American pipe makers to hand-engrave his name onto each of his briar pipes, instead of using a metal stamp. In the 70’s he always hand carved his signature onto the shank of all his pipes.
From 1975 to the beginning of 1980 while working for pipe maker Richard Johnson, J.M. made hundreds of pipes, on which he stamped Johnson Handmade. J.M. made 90% of all those pipes in that era. Near the end of J.M.'s employment at Johnson’s, you will find pipes with Boswell's signature hand-engraved on the underside of the pipes with Johnson handmade stamped on the side.
During the mid 80’s here at Boswell’s Pipe and Tobacco, J.M. did have a metal stamp made and experimented with it a few times, but felt it was not a proper finish for his handmade pipes. “A work of art should be hand signed not stamped like machine made pipes. Artist’s always sign their work.” He never again used the stamp.
J.M. Boswell started dating all his pipes towards the middle of the 80’s, after customers had begun to request that the year be added.
Thrown by an illegible signature, J.M. started to carve his name more clearly around 1998. Since J.M. was selling his pipes all over the world, he then started to print USA along with his name and year.