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Kaufmann Bros. & Bondy: Difference between revisions
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''''' Many thanks to Doug Valitchka for these notes on the early history of KB&B, Kaywoodie''''' | ''''' Many thanks to Doug Valitchka for these notes on the early history of KB&B, Kaywoodie''''' | ||
=== Early History === | === Early History === | ||
KB&B Kaufman Brothers & Bondy, [[Kaywoodie]] has been making pipes since well before the Civil War - around 1851. They peaked in the late 1950's along with most American Briar works. In the early 20th century, their pipes were the standard others were measured by, along with [[Sasieni]], [[Charatan]] and [[ | KB&B Kaufman Brothers & Bondy, [[Kaywoodie]] has been making pipes since well before the Civil War - around 1851. They peaked in the late 1950's along with most American Briar works. In the early 20th century, their pipes were the standard others were measured by, along with [[Sasieni]], [[Charatan]] and [[Comoy's]]. There were few other world-class American pipe-crafters ([[William Demuth Company]], early [[LHS|L & H Stern]]). Their pipes were as good as any of the renowned British firms. Kaywoodie just did not merely produce quantity, they provided quality: in the 1920's they bought the exclusive rights to some of the choicest briar fields in history, hauling out 250 year-old roots the size of 27" TVs and fashioning masterpieces out of this spectacular-grained ancient briar. | ||
=== Early KB&B (non Kaywoodie) === | === Early KB&B (non Kaywoodie) === | ||
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=== Pre-Kaywoodie KB&B === | === Pre-Kaywoodie KB&B === | ||
[[File: | [[File:KB&B CPF.jpg|thumb|Courtesy Doug Valitchka]][[File:Penacook 1.jpg|thumb|The Old New England Briar Pipe Company building in Penacook, now the Briar Pipes Appartments]][[File:KB&B-Bakelite.jpeg|thumb|KB&B Bakelite Pipe c. 1930, courtesy Racine & Laramie Tobacconist]]According to Hacker1, the firm of Kaufmann Brothers and Bondy (KB&B) began producing the Kaywoodie2 Pipe in 1915. Hacker notes that: "The company was originally started in 1851 in New York by two brothers named Kaufman[n], who sold meerschaums and clays that a third brother sent them from Vienna. Business thrived and in 1854 the Kaufman[n]s took in a partner named Bondy. ... The three partners retired in 1898, but their relatives continued on with the firm, which had begun to manufacture their own briar pipes under the KB&B trademark. In 1915 the Kaywoodie brand was created as a marketing umbrella for a new briar pipe which the KB&B company introduced. ..." | ||
The "marketing umbrella" mentioned by Hacker included lower grade Kaywoodies that were later marketed under the "Yello-Bole" name. (According to a 1948 Yello-Bole catalog, "Yello-Boles have been on the market since 1933. About 25 millions of these pipes have been sold"). Hacker concludes his history of Kaywoodie Pipes by noting that: "The KB&B briar pipe brand existed from 1900 until just after World War I (with some overlapping with the Kaywoodie from 1915 -- 1917), and collectors refer to the KB&B as a Kaywoodie transition pipe. During the early years of the 20th century a number of filter systems were designed by the KB&B firm and incorporated into their Kaywoodie Pipes under the names of Synchro-Stem and Kaywoodie Drinkless filters. During the late 1920's and throughout the 30's the Kaywoodie became a highly respected pipe in spite of its filter system (which was popular among many smokers of the era) primarily due to the fine quality of the straight grain and the flame grain models. Unfortunately, the hard-to-get-briar years of World War II marked the decline of the Kaywoodie Pipe, a plummet from which it has never recovered as far as collectors are concerned...." | The "marketing umbrella" mentioned by Hacker included lower grade Kaywoodies that were later marketed under the "Yello-Bole" name. (According to a 1948 Yello-Bole catalog, "Yello-Boles have been on the market since 1933. About 25 millions of these pipes have been sold"). Hacker concludes his history of Kaywoodie Pipes by noting that: "The KB&B briar pipe brand existed from 1900 until just after World War I (with some overlapping with the Kaywoodie from 1915 -- 1917), and collectors refer to the KB&B as a Kaywoodie transition pipe. During the early years of the 20th century a number of filter systems were designed by the KB&B firm and incorporated into their Kaywoodie Pipes under the names of Synchro-Stem and Kaywoodie Drinkless filters. During the late 1920's and throughout the 30's the Kaywoodie became a highly respected pipe in spite of its filter system (which was popular among many smokers of the era) primarily due to the fine quality of the straight grain and the flame grain models. Unfortunately, the hard-to-get-briar years of World War II marked the decline of the Kaywoodie Pipe, a plummet from which it has never recovered as far as collectors are concerned...." | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
[[Image:Ybole_Ad05.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Honey Girl - sweet!]][[File:KB&B Drinkless Babe Ruth.jpg|thumb|250px|Babe Ruth Drinkless Kaywoodie Ad]] | |||
In 1932 KB&B expanded their program consisting of KB&B pipes, [[Reiss-Premier]] and [[Kaywoodie]] as the mainstay brand by introducing the '''[[Yello-Bole]]''' line. Yello- Bole was designed as an outlet for lower grade briar not used in Kaywoodie production. | In 1932 KB&B expanded their program consisting of KB&B pipes, [[Reiss-Premier]] and [[Kaywoodie]] as the mainstay brand by introducing the '''[[Yello-Bole]]''' line. Yello- Bole was designed as an outlet for lower grade briar not used in Kaywoodie production. | ||