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| ''Thank you, Jim, for developing these wonderful articles on Peterson pipes for Pipedia. --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] 19:31, 18 October 2010 (UTC) -- Pipedia SYSOP'' | | ''Thank you, Jim, for developing these wonderful articles on Peterson pipes for Pipedia. --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] 19:31, 18 October 2010 (UTC) -- Pipedia SYSOP'' |
| ==Genesis==
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| The Nurnberg brothers Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp, whose elegant Dublin tobacconist first opened
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| for business in 1865 on Grafton Street, Dublin could scarcely have dreamt that they would
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| participate in the birth of a legend.<br>
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| Friedrich & Heinrich, who christened their shop simply 'Kapp Brothers', soon made a name for
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| themselves making and selling quality Meerschaum and Briar Root pipes.
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| In the year 1875, Charles Peterson, a large young Latvian immigrant from Riga in his early twenties, walked into the Kapp Brothers Grafton Street premises with a revolutionary pipe and ambitious plans for the future. Declaring to the brothers that he could make better pipes than they could.
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| Armed with an imaginative flair for making pipes and a craftsman's background. There and then, Peterson suggested that the brothers go into partnership with him to turn his innovative pipe dream into the world's dream pipe. They agreed and Peterson not only proved himself correct, but became the third partner in the fledgling firm. The company was then renamed Kapp & Peterson. Thus the legend was born!<br>
| | ===A revised history of the Kapp & Peterson brand of pipe makers=== |
| Kapp and Peterson went on to become Dublin's most fashionable and respected manufacturer and
| | Until recently very little was known about the early history and the emergence of the Kapp and Peterson pipes as a brand. The following information was previously quoted widely in many publications as being the factual version of the firm's early beginnings. |
| purveyors of fine smoking products. Pipe and cigar smokers would stroll down to the elegant
| | “The Nurnberg brothers Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp, whose elegant Dublin tobacconist first opened for business in 1865 on Grafton Street, Dublin could scarcely have dreamt that they would participate in the birth of a legend.<br> |
| premises for professional advice on the subtle nuances that determine a good handmade cigar or
| | Friedrich & Heinrich, who christened their shop simply 'Kapp Brothers', soon made a name for themselves making and selling quality Meerschaum and Briar Root pipes. |
| pipe. The Peterson brand was embraced by politicians, business leaders, sportsmen, artists and
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| writers.<br>
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| Thereafter not much more background information is known about Charles,how his business
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| progressed,his family life if any,when did he retire,where and when did he die?
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| There are few if any historical references, other than the famous quote he wrote on his favorite
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| pipe. The original pipe is on display in the Peterson Museum in Dublin and the silver band is
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| engraved with the message: “When stolen, please return to 55, Grafton Street. C. Peterson”. He
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| obviously had a great sense of humor.<br>
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| It was a well-used pipe, and it is obvious that Charles valued it very much. It is a large thick-walled
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| pipe, with a bowl that tapers internally.<br>
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| Charles was a big man, with proportionately large hands, so this pipe would have fitted them well.
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| My great friend Dave Hughes has just completed some very interesting genealogical background research
| | It was not long before Charles Peterson, a large young Latvian immigrant from Riga, walked into Kapp Brothers Grafton Street premises armed with a revolutionary pipe and ambitious plans for the future, declaring that he could make better pipes than they could. Armed with an imaginative flair for pipes and a craftsman's background. There and then, Peterson suggested that the brothers go into partnership with him to turn his pipe dream into the world's dream pipe. They agreed and Peterson not only proved himself correct, but became the third partner in the fledgling firm. The company was renamed Kapp & Peterson.” |
| on Charles and his family. This has been most helpful, in filling in some of the historical, blank
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| missing pieces. Thank you for a job well done Dave,it is much appreciated.<br>
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| I do however realize that this is still work in progress and that Dave will continue to research
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| Charles Peterson's family history. We will update any information that is relevant to the project.
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| Dave writes:-
| | Not much more factual background information was known about the Kapps or of Charles Peterson. How the business evolved and progressed,their family lives,when did they retire,where and when did they die. Why was there few, if any accurate factory records for this period? |
| “For the year 1901, I have found a Charles Peterson living at 126 Rock Road in Dublin. His birth
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| place is listed as Russia. His age is listed as 47(?). He's a widower and lists his occupation as pipe
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| maker. I'm guessing this is our Mr. Peterson. Also a woman by the name of Mary O'Regan, who is
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| listed as married and his landlady, lives at this address. She will show up again, later.”
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| “Jump to 1911. I find a Charles Peterson living at 144 Leinster Road, Dublin. His age is 60 years,
| | *The difficulty has been separating the myth and legend from the true historical facts. |
| birth place is listed as Riga. Again his occupation is listed as pipe maker. But now he is married, it
| | *There are few, if any verified accurate historical references, that is until now!! |
| looks like to Annie Peterson, age 34. They have been married for 9 years and have two living
| | *The research work currently being undertaken for the new book, has brought forward many new exciting historical surprises, in regard to this early period of the Kapp and Peterson story. |
| children. I believe their children are a son, Conrad Peterson, age 7, and a daughter, Isolde Peterson,
| | *I can assure all Peterson enthusiasts that the much more thorough detail which we now have for this period,to be published in the forthcoming new book ('The Peterson Pipe Chronicles'), will rewrite the previous historical information and help clarify the true K&P Time-line. |
| age 2 months. One other child was born to them but has died. The year of birth and death are not
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| given. Again I find Mary O'Regan listed as living in the household, but as his sister-in-law. Her
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| sister is married to Charles. No mention is made of her husband although she is listed as married
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| and head of household. I also find a John Peterson, age 45, whose birth place is Riga, living with | |
| them. He is listed as a lodger and his occupation is pipe maker, and he is single. Possibly a brother
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| to Charles, or at least a close relative. Also in the house is another Conrad Peterson, age 21, whose | |
| birth place is also Riga. He is listed as a student and a visitor in the house. A young woman by the
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| name of Agnes Geoghean is listed as a children's nurse and Kathleen Dornt is listed a as general
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| servant, both single and both living in the house”.
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| It is also interesting to note that the family members included a children's nurse and a general
| | <gallery widths=125px heights=125px> |
| servant living with them.This would appear to indicate that Charles's business was doing well
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| financially.<br>
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| As yet we have no information on where and when Charles died. Watch this space.
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| <gallery widths=150px heights=150px> | |
| File:Img007.jpg|Old Patent Catalog, Courtesy Jim Lilley | | File:Img007.jpg|Old Patent Catalog, Courtesy Jim Lilley |
| File:AmberPatent1901.jpg|1901 Amber Stem Patent, Jim Lilley Collection | | File:AmberPatent1901.jpg|1901 Amber Stem Patent, Jim Lilley Collection |
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| File:PetersonPatent Meer.jpg|Patent Meerschaum, Jim Lilley Collection | | File:PetersonPatent Meer.jpg|Patent Meerschaum, Jim Lilley Collection |
| </gallery> | | </gallery> |
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| ==Peterson Time Line== | | ==Peterson Time Line== |
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| [[File:1898LionMeer.JPG|thumb|400px|1898 Lion Head Meerschaum, Courtesy Jim Lilley collection (similar in figure to the iconic pipe on the old Peterson Patent catalogue shown above. The two figurative pipes on the catalog cover are briar pipes crafted by Louis Lamberthod in St Claude (France). Peterson used to commission this kind of pipe from the French pipemaker, inventor of the famous machine able to duplicate figurative pipes.)]]For the sake of simplicity and aiding our purpose of ascertaining a more meaningful systematic approach,I will keep the Peterson story time- line basic and simple. | | [[File:1898LionMeer.JPG|thumb|400px|1898 Lion Head Meerschaum, Courtesy Jim Lilley collection (similar in figure to the iconic pipe on the old Peterson Patent catalogue shown above. The two figurative pipes on the catalog cover are briar pipes crafted by Louis Lamberthod in St Claude (France). Peterson used to commission this kind of pipe from the French pipemaker, inventor of the famous machine able to duplicate figurative pipes.)]]For the sake of simplicity and aiding our purpose of ascertaining a more meaningful systematic approach,I will keep the Peterson story time- line basic and simple. |
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