E. WILKE

USA

It should be noted that men do not hold exclusive monopoly in the pipe business, just as in many other fields traditionally considered ‘male.’ Women’s labor has always been widely utilized in pipe factories, especially for finishing work that requires special patience and precision. Many artisans enlisted the help of their wives, sisters, or loved ones, with some continuing the proud family tradition, like Nanna Ivarsson.

Edwin Wilke, an American, established a thriving pipe business in New York in 1872 and had two daughters—Anna and Louisa. They took over their father’s business, crafting pipes from quality Macedonian briar, blending tobacco, and providing repairs for customers. For a long time, they were the only women in the U.S. making pipes. Notably, E. WILKE’s products were highly regarded; in the 1950s, the prices of many items reached $100, with some even going up to $500, a substantial amount for that time.

In an interesting turn of events, the business was purchased in 1983 by Elliott Nachwalter and his wife, Carole Burns, who continued to blend “Pipeworks & Wilke” tobacco until 2017. Thus, another notable female name is added to pipe history.

Pipe markings “E. WILKE \ N.Y.C.”
Length 14.5 cm (5.71″)
Bowl Height 4.5 cm (1.77″)
Outside Diameter 3.3 cm (1.3″)
Chamber Diameter 2.0 cm (0.79″)
Chamber Depth 3.6 cm (1.42″)
Weight 30 gr.

Briar, vulcanite stem, no filter. The stem is newly made of the fresh piece of vulcanite so we can consider the pipe as a “partially unsmoked” :-).

The pipe is not for sale. It was restored to order and has already started a new life in a new cozy home.