Barling: Difference between revisions

[[Image:Barling_cased_pair.gif|thumb|200px|Cased Pair, Pre-trans, Derek Green Collection[http://www.derek-green.com/Others.htm]]]

[[File:Barlings_Pre_long2.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Pre-Barling by Crown of Vienna, silver work by the Barling family of London, and stamped with E.B. and W.B. stamps, albatross wing bone extensions. From the Johnny Long Collection]][[File:Barlings_long1.jpg‎|thumb|200px|Stamped "BARLING'S MAKE", London 1906, Rd. No. 458002, from the Johnny Long Collection]][[File:Barling_silver_bands.gif|thumb|200px|From Left: 1927-Tetley's; 1916 w/Military bit; 1956-Tetley's; Pre-Trans EXEL T.V.F, Derek Green Collection[http://www.derek-green.com/Others.htm]]][[File:Barlings_pre_Long4.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Pair of uncased 1884s with E.B. W.B stamped Barling silverwork]][[File:Barlings_pre_Long3.jpg‎|thumb|300px|left|1884, upper pipe from above pair. It has screw mounts and also has the wing bone extension. From the Johnny Long Collection]][[File:Barlings_pre_Long3b.jpg‎|thumb|300px|left|1884 screw mount detail. From the Johnny Long Collection]] '''''“We have much pleasure in presenting our New Catalogue illustrating some of the principal shapes and specialities in our celebrated EB WB Briar Pipes.'''''<br>

Among collectors of high-grade British pipes, family era Barling pipes are rated at the pinnacle.  No other maker enjoys a finer reputation for the legendary quality of their materials, engineering and craftsmanship.<br>

The Barlings were silversmiths in England during the latter part of the 1700's, with their silver mountings first appearing on meerschaum pipes in 1812. The company received recognition of their work at the Great Exhibition of 1851 for their display of a set of “Silver-mounted meerschaum smoking pipes.” - Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition of 1851 - page 147<br>

Over the ensuing years the company gained and maintained an enviable reputation for the excellent smoking characteristics of their pipes, in addition to their unique interpretation of classic shapes, and the development of some "new" classics.  Though not the first English company to carve pipes from Briar, (that distinction being given to Loewe’s who first introduced briar pipes to English smokers in 1856 - “Loewe of the Haymarket -1926) the Barling Company supplied exquisite silver fitments to briar bowls turned by others.<br>

Among authorities on the Barling pipes, none is more respected, nor better known, than Tad Gage.  His article, <u>Mysterious Barlings</u>, written for the Spring 2000 issue of Pipes and Tobacco Magazine, has become the touchstone for collectors worldwide.<br>

Richard Carleton Hacker is the author of numerous books on collectible and historic pipes including <u>Rare Smoke - The Ultimate Guide To Pipe Collecting</u>. According to Hacker, the Barling family sold the company to the Imperial Tobacco Company in 1960. However, Tad Gage states that the year was 1962.  It has recently come to light that letters exist, which were written by Montague Barling from the period of April thru June of 1962, when the Barling Company presented pipes to celebrity pipe smokers to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the company. We have included a sample of that correspondence in the form of an exchange of letters between Mr. Barling and Bing Crosby.  Montague Barling’s stationery clearly bears the imprint of “President”. On the basis of this evidence we can set aside the 1960 sale date in favor of either late 1961 or 1962. In any event, the family still led the business in 1962.

In addition we have included photos of a military bit billiard that has all of the correct “family era” stampings and a 1961 date hallmark. According to a retired Director of B. Barling and Sons, who supplied the correspondence between Montague Barling and Bing Crosby, the year of sale was 1962.  So for the purpose of this article the latter date will be applied.

[[Image:Barling_pre_dublin.jpg|thumb|200px|Pre-trans Dublin, [http://smokingpipes.com Smokingpipes.com]]]According to current scholarship, the Barling has gone through three distinct periods, which dramatically effect collectability of the pipes. These are referred to as the PreTransition, Transition, and Post Transition periods. The "Pre-Transition" pipes are highly sought after by collectors and have excellent smoking and aesthetic qualities. These pipes are famous for the "old wood" from which they were made.<br>

Many of the early "Transition" pipes were made from Pre-Transition bowls, and by the same craftsman. Therefore, many of the early Transition pieces possess the same excellent qualities as the Pre-Transition pieces, yet, with the exceptions noted below, they are not easily identified from later Transition and Post Transition pieces, which wereplagued by inferior materials and craftsmanship. While collectors do not prize the Transition pieces, some consider the early Transition pieces an excellent value.

As will become clear in the section devoted to Barling catalogs, one subset of currently defined “Early Transition” pieces - those pipes stamped with an arched block “Barling’s” over “Make”, but also stamped with a four digit model number that begins with either a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 - can be easily distinguished from later Transition and Post Transition pipes.  These pipes were made while Montague Barling was still president from the same stock and by the same craftsmen, as the currently defined “Pre-Transition” pipes.  The later pipes all bear a script “Barling” logo with no apostrophe and no “s”.

The late transition, and Post Transition pipes have had a rocky road at best, though recent Barlings have shown a return to quality just not at the same level as the family era.

The current third party literature is inconclusive on the exact dates of these periods. But the following is an attempt at reconciling some the data.  Much of the published material is anecdotal in nature.  We will provide evidence in the form of hard copy and company materials whenever possible to support the suggestions that follow.  Most of the company’s archives were destroyed during WWII.

'''Catalogues'''