Author: V. K. Pipes

  • LOEWE L&Co Small billiard, 1927

    England, 1927 An illustrative example how the consumer preferences changes over decades. Todays smokers are usually interested in pipes marked “large”, “extra large”, “incredibly large” and so on and so forth. Such the trend arised the most probably after the end of the WWII and many leading manufacturers such as Charatan’s and Barling were involved…

  • KBB Langley

    USA, 1920-30s One of the greatest USA makers, KBB (Kaufman Brothers & Bondy), has been making pipes since middle of the XIX century. The company took a fantastic chance in the “gold fever” years, when started to distribute pipes in California, other states and had to increase production volumes substantially. In the early XX KBB…

  • Leon’s Carlyle 416

    England A pipe from our private collection purchased on the very beginning and pleasantly smoked until some larger and more expensive pipes arrived. The origin of the pipe is still not completely clear: the most of sources are not aware of this brand, Wilczak & Colwell directory refers either to J. Leon & Co Ltd…

  • Westminster Junior

    USA There was a variety of Westminster pipes produced on both sides of the Atlantic, but the stamping “Foreign made” tells it’s rather an American product, thus the list of possible manufacturers includes James B. Hall, Westminster NYC, L&H Sterns – we can’t say for sure. Just a compact, nice, moderately smoked and affordable American…

  • DR. GRABOW Starfire dublin

    USA, 1950s An American classics from 1950s, the era of rock’n’roll, big beautiful cars with loud radio receivers (is the series name a hint on the Oldsmobile Starfire? :-)​ ) and blossoming of many American pipe brands. Nevertheless, this Dr. Grabow’s Starfire with its wire carved finish can’t be confused with any other pipe from…

  • Leon’s Carlyle 416

    England A pipe from our private collection purchased on the very beginning and pleasantly smoked until some larger and more expensive pipes arrived. The origin of the pipe is still not completely clear: the most of sources are not aware of this brand, Wilczak & Colwell directory refers either to J. Leon & Co Ltd…