Loewe & Co.: Difference between revisions

sometimes also a 'Made in England' stamp,

probably only on pipes exported to the USA.

* The first series names to be used appear to be 'CENTURION' and 'ORIGINAL' and 'OLD

ENGLISH'. According to catalogues, they denote grades. Centurions were allegedly made of

with a natural finish and a processed bowl requiring no breaking- in. Both the Process and the

blasts were missing in 1956.

During the 1960s, still under the Civic regime, the original premises were lost to development

schemes, and Loewe pipes were made in various, (possibly successive) locations all over London

(Hammersmith appearing to be one of them).

Also, at some stage before 1968, shape names were replaced by shape numbers, apparently all

incorporating three digits and beginning with a 9. For example, a 910 was a billiard. We know

It's also worth noting the recollections of one Danish smoker, who remembers that W.O. Larsen

only imported Loewes to Denmark until 1968.

Manfred W. Resag has a page on 9xx numbered pipes, with photos of pieces made from 1978 to

1982 (with one possible exception — an unbanded and therefore undateable pipe):

By studying the website of one UK dealer I was able to deduce that the present shape numbers

(early 2003) mostly (probably all) differ from those used from 1967. For example, a Billiard is

today, Cadogan will occasionally still stamp a pipe with a shape name instead of a number,

though only on request.

It would appear that both older pipes with shape names and pipes using the 9xx numbers were

made in London, before the move to Southend. My guess is that only the pipes made prior to the

introduction of numbers were carved on the original Haymarket premises, with the graded

shanks (series names) probably indicating pieces carved after 1956.

To go some way towards verifying this theory, we would need to know the exact year of the

move from the Haymarket, but also more about the stamps on pipes made between 1960 and

dateable (hallmarked) pipes owned pieces made before or after these years, which almost

certainly encompassed the loss of the Haymarket workshop.

Cadogan has not answered questions concerning this or the later move to Southend. However,

from the evidence contributed by readers of the first version of this article, I would say that the

second event occurred by or in 1982, the year in which a Danish collector has reported buying a

Canadian with the new 296 shape number.

This is notwithstanding the fact that several people own Loewes with the 9xx stamps — pipes I

would attribute to the late London days — yet with hallmarks from 1982 or even 1983. There are

all) Loewes were being made to order by other firms. The Danish collector mentioned above has

records of being offered both London-made and (cheaper) French Loewes in 1982.

Moreover, it is also reasonable to assume that some pipes began life in London and were

stamped there, but only completed in Southend. In a few cases, it even seems clear that the lapse

the late 1990s, with shank bands hallmarked in the early 1980s and stems made a dozen or so

years later. The dealer remembers that they were the last Loewes ever offered to him.

Curiously, some of the Loewe shapes from the 1970s and early 1980s apparently reappeared as

Comoys (now also made by Cadogan), later on. Indeed, Comoy spigots were among the new

later, when someone remembered or discovered them. The stems were available, because they

were still being produced for the new Comoy pipes.

One final note on the transition period regards the desirability of Loewes made between the

Haymarket days and the move to Southend. I have yet to hear a complaint from an owner of one

of these pipes. I have a fine mounted Rhodesian myself with excellent, almost straight grain. It is

a superlative smoker.

In 1926, the wholesale price for an unmounted Loewe was 11 shillings and three pence. 24 years

later, it had doubled and such a pipe retailed for 50 shillings. At this time (1950) an ounce of

(about 27 to 95 Euro/$). These were Cadogan pipes, of course. At the same time, some 'antique'

pieces were fetching up to 175 Euro or US $.

Early Loewes were available with a variety of options, such as amber stems and solid silver or

gold mounts at a surcharge. Interestingly, the 1926 catalogue prizes the pipes' "natural finish",

but adds that an attractive dark tan was available at no extra charge (!).

This article grew in the making, following requests for information on Usenet and the

publication of a first version, which almost immediately hastened new input from readers.

My thanks to Asp'ers Kevyn Winkless, Stephen Bozle. Greg Pease, Chris Keene, Manfred

Resag, Sonam Dasara, Jorgen Jensen and Jesper of Danpipes for contributing information and

such as Klaus J. Pfeifer, Manfred Arenz, HaJo Oestermann, Jörg Eichelberger, Rainer

Duesmann, Joachim Acker and Michael Karrengarn.

Finally, though I include my e-mail address here, it is not really intended for queries, since I lack

the knowledge to answer them. I am simply an admirer, but no expert on Loewe pipes and have