England, 1960-70s As Pipedia notes, “G.W. Sims was one of the few English pipe makers who produced Danish style freehands carved from specially selected plateau briar. Mr. Sims willingly made pipes to personal specifications”. Today, we have the pleasure of presenting an example of just such work by the former Charatan’s carver and later an…
England, 1950-70s The New Era series has been a constant presence in catalogs and guides from at least the 1930s through the 1970s, during the most respected periods of the company’s history. Over the years, New Era pipes were positioned either among the top grades or in a segment well above average, meaning they were…
England, 1980s Here we see the exact same stamp, in the same font, as on other early Bill Ashton-Taylor pipes, carved at the beginning of his solo career in the early 1980s. Interestingly, this pipe is adapted to accommodate a 6mm filter — a rather rare feature for Ashton-Taylor’s work. Perhaps it was made to…
England This is not just a pipe from one of the highest series of John Redman’s London factory (only Redman’s Royal pipes are more valuable), but also probably the largest example we have ever encountered. A magnificent specimen — truly convincing craftsmanship! Pipe markings “JOHN REDMAN \ LONDON MADE”, “MADE IN ENGLAND”, “Special \ BEST…
England Thanks to the knowledgeable community of the Pipes Magazine forum the story of Abraham Taylor’s family business is presented quite clearly, although it is evident that the general outline does not differ much from the stories of other Jewish immigrants, such as the Bewleys or the Sasieni. The Taylors arrived in the United Kingdom…
England A worthy representative of the Dunhill family — a stylish, practical, and well-preserved bulldog, born in the Parker-Hardcastle house after 1967. A solid, reliable smoker, and one we can confidently recommend. Pipe markings “Parker \ OF LONDON”, “PARKER \ BRUYERE”, “374”Length 13.9 cm (5.47″)Bowl Height 3.8 cm (1.5″)Outside Diameter 4.1 cm (1.61″)Chamber Diameter 1.9…
England, 1960-70s A very well-preserved example of the craftsmanship of Charatan’s carvers from the so-called “second Lane period” — spanning from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. Among the range of Charatan’s Distinction line, this piece confidently holds a high position—surpassed only by the top-tier Selected and Supreme grades. Pipe markings “L”, “CHARATAN’S MAKE \ LONDON….
England, 1950s This pipe clearly dates from the final years of Charatan’s “family” period: the shape number still appears on the same side as the rest of the nomenclature, and the circled “L” began to appear on Charatan’s pipes shortly before the company was acquired by Herman Lane, primarily on products exported to the USA….
England, 1980s Desmond Sautter was a reputable and successful London tobacconist based in Mayfair, able to commission pipes from the most famous English manufacturers. These makers were happy to add extra markings with the initials DS on the pipes—like this Tilshead pipe by James Upshall. As Ken Barnes, co-founder of James Upshall, recalls, the company…
England, 1980-90s The 1981 merger of Comoy’s and GBD into a single company under the management of the Oppenheimer Group (Cadogan) is viewed with mixed opinions. However, it’s hard to deny that the move spurred the introduction of new technologies and the creation of fresh, interesting series and shapes. One successful example is today’s Comoy’s…