Denmark Karl Erik Ottendahl (1942 – 2004) was one of the most famous Denmark artisans, who offered good, “really Danish” pipes for an affordable value. He began smoking pipe when he was 14, and started carving as a hobby. Over a few years Karl Erik founded an own workshop, but later he realized, that the…
Denmark The origin of the Jobey brand is a kind of a mystery. The most probably the company was founded in the beginning of the XX century, but there is a contradictory opinion about a mother country of Jobey pipes. Most sources believe Jobey was an English founded company switched soon to production in USA….
England Astley’s was one of the oldest and the most respected London tobacconists, the company began its noble way in 1862. To the middle of the XX century the address 109 Jermyn St. became very famous as the most popular, luxury and expensive place offering the best examples of English pipe making skills. Every self-respecting…
England At the very beginning Parker Pipe Co Limited was formed by Dunhill in 1922 as a “second brand” – the company was intended to finish products, which were not conform to Dunhill’s requirements for some reasons. In the course of time the brand made a great success from the “second” to a separate production…
Denmark, 1970s A wonderful and quite large freehand pipe made by legendary Danish artisan Preben Holm in 1970s. Initially Ben Wade was an old good English family manufactory. Soon after the WWII the brand was acquired by Lane Ltd from USA, the producer of fantastic Charatan’s pipes at that time. The new Ben Wade era…
England, 1930s A very unusual pipe from the legendary Hardcastle’s family times, i.e. made before acquisition by Dunhill in 1946 (and the most likely before the WWII). It’s difficult to say now was the rim carved at Hardcastle’s factory or was it a later improvement but the outcome looks really charmingly!
Denmark, 1960s A creature of young Preben Holm carved in the late 1960s, when his pipes were stamped with with the “Preben Holm” name and such grade numbers in a cirlce. At that time the artisan was not elder than 24 years and the era of fantastic success of his Danish Ben Wade pipes had…
England, 1960s The stamping “Made by hand in London City” was absolutely typical for the Charatan’s second Lane era (1965 – middle of 1970s) pipes. This unsmoked sample was perhaps predetermined to become at least an upper middle grade pipe, but a couple of scratches (or surface neat cracks?) changed its destiny quite dramatically and…
England, 1960s A really unusual for the Lane era (made in 1960s) upper middle grade Charatan’s Distinction pipe. It’s rather a medium sized classical straight pipe than a large sophisticated artisans free hand. We should also admit its very nice almost straight grain and quite a light weight of this wonderful creature.
England, 1970s Among dozens, dozens and dozens of GBD brands and subbrands (seconds) GBD Penthouse pipes are really remarkable not only because of the series name, but also because of the specific stylish chair-leg stem shape. A very interesting example of the GBD carvers creative fantasy! The pipe is the most probably a creature of…