BBB: Difference between revisions

'''Dating and History:'''

Genesis and history of the company.  

Adolph Frankau & Co Ltd In 1847, Adolph Frankau arrived in London and quickly understood opportunities that the market of tobacco presented, in full expansion. He created the company "Adolph Frankau & Co" and became an importer of meerschaum pipes and supplies in connection with the tobacco. It takes under its wing young a 14 year old boy, Louis Blumfeld. The business thrives quickly until the death of Adolph Frankau in 1856. His widow prepares to sell the company.  

Enter in scene Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), author of "Hero and worship of the heroes". This last advises with Mrs Frankau not to sell, but to entrust the future of the company to the hands of the young person Louis Blumfeld, then 18 years old. Carlyle was to have a very high opinion of the Louis young person, and this confidence was justified by its assumption of responsibility of the business, its enthusiasm and its inexhaustible energy. Louis realizes quickly, like others, great potential of the Heather, from which the interest comes to be recognized.  

If the BBB are its the most known pipes, A Frankau & Co had several marks of pipes: Capt. Kidd, Fairway ("F" in white; FAIRWAY/LONDON MADE/ENGLAND), Frankau' S (London Made/Made in England), Glokar, Major Daff, the Snap-FIT. It also seems that Ultonia and Last word must be regarded as marks with whole share, in spite of the fact that they are presented as being product lines under label BBB. That would explain their absence of catalogues BBB.  

In this time, A Frankau & Co also produce of Calabashs. The water-bottles used are originating in South Africa and are fruits which can be used as pipe (called also gourd, in this case) usable for the pipes. That became difficult to be supplied out of water-bottles considering the growing request and the constant attention which it is necessary to carry to the culture. BBB sets up a special department to manufacture the calabashs, using only scum to make the furnace whereas some their competitors use plaster of Paris and even of asbestos (asbestos). The manufacture of the calabashs survived war 14/18, but this conflict destroyed the request.  

The Twenties were not easy for the manufacturers of pipes, and A Frankau & Co are integrated by "A. Oppenheimer & Co. Ltd1 ". It is besides at that time that Comoy' S of London, Dr. Plumb and Loewe & Co pass under the control of Oppenheimer, which pushes the company to create "Cadogan Investments Ltd.2" in Cadogan Square, London, in the Thirties, to manufacture and sell its pipes. The factory of Homerton passes under the control of "Marechal Ruchon & Co" (in the years 1970, the factory takes the name of "Fairfax Traders"), and continuous to produce the BBB in a traditional way. Finished, pipes with a silver ring and étuits. However, continuous BBB, commes other companies of the group "Cadogan", to function commercially like an independent company. BBB concentrates on a certain number of pipes with system which were in general orders, and on new completions.  

It is thought that BBB was one of the first to call the form Lovat "Lovat", pipes designed with broad led for a better passage of air. However, the firm "Friedlands" could have adopted this name at the same time. Lovats appeared well before 1914 and were proposed with the sale by BBB in four different dimensions, of which a series called Highland. Colonel Henry Francis Fraser (1872-1949), Lord of Lovat, must have made the publicity of this form made in his honor and which is always popular nowadays.  

Whereas the shapes of the briar pipes are similar with those of the other marks, the models develop a very nowadays required distinct character by the collectors. Besides BBB gains the gold medal to the Franco-Britanique Exposure in London of 1908 (Frank Bowcher, 1864-1938) and to the World Fair and International of Brussels in 1910, medal of Godefroid Devreese (1861-1941). One finds these medals, in particular on the advertising folders of the Fifties and Sixties.  

To avoid any confusion and an excess of documents due to the use of the specific ranks to each mark forming part of the group, Cadogan adopted a system of eight ranks common to all the marks. Rank A is a heather which has a beautiful grain, without any visible imperfection. The ranks B have a beautiful grain, but with some small black spots and maximum three drainages vertical sand which will be mastiqués. The rank "Best Make" has also a beautiful grain, with maximum five small drainages vertical sand. The heads which have grain of a variable and maximum quality six vertical sand drainages are of rank MO. The pipes of second rank are is poor heather of grain but without defects or of beautiful grain but with to eight small or two large drainages vertical sand. The third, fourth and fifth ranks are pipes of which décroit quality proportionally.  

[[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Great Britain]]