GBD: Difference between revisions

Deutsche Version siehe '''[[GBD.de]]'''

=== A history of GBD ===

In 1850 three gentlemen got together in Paris to establish a firm dedicated to the fabrication of Meerschaum pipes – a courageous step in politically restless times. '''G'''anneval probably came from the area of Saint-Claude where he had learned making wooden pipes. '''B'''ondier's family obviously came from Paris and had emigrated in 1789 to Geneva. He himself had worked as a wood turner in the clay and china pipe industry in and around Saint-Claude making stem extensions etc. '''D'''onninger was an Austrian or Swiss and had worked in Vienna, the world's center of the Meerschaum pipe. They agreed on the acronym '''GBD''' selecting the initials of their surnames. Bondier survived his partners for nearly 30 years. Their places were taken by others. Hence the property of GBD and therewith the company's official name changed several times.

* Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger

[[Image:GBD 922.jpg|thumb|GBD 922 STRAIGHT GRAIN France]]

[[Image:NE 1-8.jpg|thumb|GBD NEW ERA A.L'ALGERIEN PARIS 1930-40]]

[[Image:GBD4.jpg|thumb|[http://www.smokershaven.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=310 Courtesy Smoker's Haven]]]

In 1920 Oppenheimer had purchased '''[[BBB]]''' (Blumfeld’s Best Briar, formerly A. Frankau) and little later '''[[Loewe & Co.]]''' and large shares of '''[[Comoy's]] of London'''. The economic crisis in the early 1920s induced the foundation of '''Cadogan Investments Ltd.''', named for it’s seat at Cadogan Square in London. The Cadogan group was a superordinated holding company, in order to tune all activities of Oppenheimer’s brands in the pipe industry. Whereby an extensive independence of the single brands was preserved. Remember, the Oppenheimers and Adlers weren’t pipe specialists, but rather sales people who depended on their experts in the British and French plants.

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The Paris factory moved to Saint-Claude in 1952. Since 1981 the majority of GBD pipes come from the English factory. At about that same time GBD merged with Comoys, since then all production for both GBD and Comoy comes from a single factory.[http://www.perardua.net/pipes/GBDlines.html]