Custom-Bilt: Difference between revisions

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''These reviews originally appeared in The Pipe Collector, the official newsletter of the American Pipe Collectors Society [http://naspc.org (NASPC)] and used by permission. It's a great organization--consider joining.''
''These reviews originally appeared in The Pipe Collector, the official newsletter of the American Pipe Collectors Society [http://naspc.org (NASPC)] and used by permission. It's a great organization--consider joining.''
[[File:CustomBiltBox06.jpg|thumb|600px|Courtesy Doug Valitchka]]
[[File:CustomBiltBox06.jpg|thumb|400px|Courtesy Doug Valitchka]]
== A REVIEW BY RICHARD ESSERMAN ==
== A REVIEW BY RICHARD ESSERMAN ==


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In the early 1950’s, Tracy Mincer developed severe financial problems that caused him to stop making the Custombilt, and he lost the name. In 1953, Leonard Rodgers bought the company and emphasized tobacco pouches and butane lighters. (However, it appears Mincer was working on his new pipe, the Doodler.) In 1968, Rodgers sold the Company to Consolidated Cigars. In the early 1970s, Wally Frank Co. bought the Custombilt trademark and began to produce their version of the pipe in 1974 or 1975. Hollco Rohr owned the Weber pipe factory, located in New Jersey, and produced the Custombilt pipes there. In 1987, the pipes were made out of the Butz-Choquin factory (France) and then Mexico until the late 1990s. Currently, the Custombilt name is owned by Tobacalera of Spain.
In the early 1950’s, Tracy Mincer developed severe financial problems that caused him to stop making the Custombilt, and he lost the name. In 1953, Leonard Rodgers bought the company and emphasized tobacco pouches and butane lighters. (However, it appears Mincer was working on his new pipe, the Doodler.) In 1968, Rodgers sold the Company to Consolidated Cigars. In the early 1970s, Wally Frank Co. bought the Custombilt trademark and began to produce their version of the pipe in 1974 or 1975. Hollco Rohr owned the Weber pipe factory, located in New Jersey, and produced the Custombilt pipes there. In 1987, the pipes were made out of the Butz-Choquin factory (France) and then Mexico until the late 1990s. Currently, the Custombilt name is owned by Tobacalera of Spain.
<gallery widths=250px captions="Several pages from Bill's book relevant to the Wally Frank era of Custom-Bilt">
File:CustomBilt Stamp1.jpg|Stamp #1
File:Custombilt Stamp3.jpg|Stmp #3
</gallery>
<gallery widths=250px heights=400px>
File:Custombilt Stamp5.jpg|Stamp#5
File:Custombilt Shapes2.jpg|Shapes
</gallery>


Bill also spends a little time debunking Rick Hacker’s version of the Custombilt line. According to Steve Frank, it appears that Carl Weber, the original owner of the Weber factory, never owned the Custombilt name as suggested by Hacker.
Bill also spends a little time debunking Rick Hacker’s version of the Custombilt line. According to Steve Frank, it appears that Carl Weber, the original owner of the Weber factory, never owned the Custombilt name as suggested by Hacker.