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==An Introduction to the modern Peterson Pipes== | ==Peterson Time Line== | ||
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. | |||
I appreciate that amongst Peterson aficionados, that the following is my interpretation and is open to | |||
debate! | |||
We will look at the following historical periods in sequential isolation and in more detail. | |||
*'''''1865 – 1915 Patent Era''''' | |||
*'''''1915 – 1949 Pre Republic Era''''' | |||
*'''''1895 – 1970 London Made''''' | |||
*'''''1950 – Present , Made in the Republic of Ireland''''' | |||
===1865 – 1915 Patent Era Pipes=== | |||
If I was asked if there was one single reason that motivates me to continue collecting Peterson | |||
pipes, I would most probably respond that it was their evocative and marvellous design history. | |||
Which to my mind,as a self confessed old romantic, opens a portal to more elegant times past and | |||
established Peterson as one of the forerunners of the classic pipe designs of today. | |||
In 1865 Charles Peterson opened a small tobacco shop in Dublin. Ten years later in 1875, Peterson | |||
approached the Kapp brothers, with a completely new innovative pipe design and with this, a very | |||
long-lived partnership was formed, Kapp & Peterson. Their new pipe design resulted in the now | |||
famous Peterson Patented System Smoking Pipe. By the 1890's , Kapp & Peterson were one of the | |||
most respected pipe and tobacco manufacturers in Europe and America. | |||
The original patent was issued in Great Britain and Ireland on Aug. 8, 1890, and in France on Jan. | |||
22, '''1891'''.<br> | |||
On May 1, '''1894''', U.S. Patent 519,135 was issued to Peterson for his unique construction of a pipe | |||
and mouthpiece, described as a “certain new and useful Improvement in Tobacco-Pipes,” that’s | |||
come to be known as the Peterson System pipe.<br> | |||
In '''1898''' another of Peterson's innovative pipe inventions became available, the Peterson-Lip (P-Lip) | |||
mouthpiece, designed to offset the inhaled smoke to the roof of the mouth,thus avoiding tongue | |||
bite.<br> | |||
Later in the Introduction text,we will go into more detail on the P-lip and system pipes. | |||
For collectors the Patent Era appears to have been from K&P's formation in '''1875''', until the | |||
expiration of the patent; through to approximately '''1910'''. The late Mike Leverette in his 'A Peterson | |||
Dating Guide' extended this period to 1922.<br> | |||
I would suggest keeping the period 1875 to 1910 as the true 'Patent era'. From my humble | |||
observations the Patent stamping on pipes from that time, was more apparent and attributable with | |||
some degree of accuracy. Peterson pipes made during the majority of this period had no "Country of | |||
Manufacture" (COM) stamped on them. However, later in this period, say around 1915/16, they | |||
began stamping their pipes "Made in Ireland" in a block format.<br> | |||
I must admit I am really into this particular period of Peterson's pipe production and the pipes that | |||
were produced during that era. When I go through the old catalogues, it is like being a big kid all | |||
over again,drooling over illustrations and line drawings of pipes which I long to hold and admire. I | |||
know ,go see a psychologist and get help,however I do not want help, I want the 'fine madness' to | |||
continue. Owning such pipes is like having access to time capsules.<br> | |||
Attached, are photos of examples of Peterson Patent pipes from my own collection. | |||
===1915 – 1949 Pre-Republic Era Pipes=== | |||
The pre-republic Peterson's are often considered to be 'special'.They hark back to a time when | |||
quality briar was in abundance and craftsmanship was of the highest level.<br> | |||
Like all collecting desirables, pre-republic pipes now are relatively hard to come by, with | |||
availability declining with each passing year. The amazing thing that I find with pre-Republic's is | |||
the consistently high smoking qualities that they show,regardless of being a high or low grade issue. | |||
No it is not that I am looking through rose tinted glasses and being sentimental,they really were | |||
very well made. I base my judgement on owning and smoking quite a few of them. | |||
For the purpose of this exercise,and bearing in mind the eccentric vagaries of Peterson | |||
nomenclature,I am suggesting that an acceptable criteria or starting point for when the Pre Republic | |||
era begins and ends,requires a short historical resume.:- | |||
The Irish Free State came into being in December 1922. The British sovereign, as King of Ireland, | |||
was nominal head of state, but Ireland was a republic in all but name.<br> | |||
An entirely new constitution was voted by the Irish people in 1937, with provision for a President | |||
Of Ireland as head of state. Therefore, Ireland became a republic in 1937, but was not called that. It | |||
was called simply EIRE (Ireland in Irish.)<br> | |||
When, in 1945, the British government inquired of prime minister Eamon de Valera weather he | |||
intended to proclaim a republic, his answer was: "we '''are''' a republic", having refused to say so | |||
before for eight years. This was news to the British: when George VI ascended the British throne in | |||
1936, he had been crowned King of Ireland, as well, little knowing that there no longer was a | |||
Kingdom of Ireland! | |||
The ''Republic of Ireland Act'' of 1948 officially changed the name of the country to The Republic of | |||
Ireland. | |||
As usual when trying to get accurate facts in regard to Peterson history,something will jump up and | |||
get in the way. They are missing many of their records. The following is the best that we can do for | |||
a guide to the myriad markings during the period 1922 – 1949.<br> | |||
Prior to 1920 it was rare for a country of origin to be stamped on the pipe, just Peterson's Dublin on | |||
the band. After 1921/22,If it is stamped "MADE IN IRELAND" and the "Made in" is stacked over | |||
"Ireland" or "MADE IN EIRE" or several other forms, it was made between 1922 and 1938. A | |||
considerable number of Peterson pipes were stamped "Irish Free State". From about 1930 to 1949, | |||
most of the pipes (those which were stamped) were stamped "Made in Ireland"." If the stamp reads | |||
"MADE IN IRELAND" in a circle, the pipe was made between 1939 and 1948. These are all "prerepublic" | |||
pipes. I can tell you that the mark "Irish Free State" was adopted in 1922;and replaced by | |||
"Eire" in 1937 and then by "Republic of Ireland" in 1949. | |||
Phew! So there you have it. easy and straight forward,oh yeah! | |||
Peterson initially graded their mass -produced System pipes, i.e., regular catalogue pipes (in | |||
descending order) "Deluxe," "First Quality," "0" grade, "2nd grade," and "3rd grade."<br> | |||
You will also find old Peterson Systems stamped System 4 or System 5. The shape number is also | |||
indicative of briar quality; for example,- 364 is Peterson's 3rd quality shape number (the 2nd quality | |||
sister pipe is a 314.) | |||
Sometime in the 1940s they introduced the "Premier" and "Standard" stampings. The "Premier" | |||
falling just under the "Deluxe," and the "Standard" becoming the former "2nd grade" quality. | |||
The stampings on the silver bands are "faux" hallmarks and are just decorative symbols of | |||
Ireland ... a Shamrock,a wolfhound , and a castle or tower. | |||
In regard to the silver and nickel markings of this period,well nu-ff said,it is a blooming minefield! | |||
Hallmarks are only required on precious metals not nickel. Also a pipe made in England must meet | |||
English requirements which now (and for a number of years)are only 925 for sterling. This is an EU | |||
standard I believe. The shamrock, wolfhound and tower are not hallmarks. Dublin hallmarks for | |||
sterling are Hibernia, lyre and a letter denoting the year. They are still required for silver and gold in | |||
Ireland.<br> | |||
On the faux "hallmarks" v Dublin silver hallmarks. There are many Peterson pipes with sterling | |||
silver bands that do not have hallmarks though, even some in the Premier and Deluxe grades. | |||
Here is some additional information from my old friends Chuck Wright and Ed Mc Mullen that may | |||
help clarify. | |||
'''Chuck quote:-'''<br> | |||
::“I have many, many Petersons stamped "sterling silver" on the band that lack | |||
::hallmarks. There is no question about it. I don't know if it is silver-plated and still stamped sterling | |||
::silver or what. I have a pipe that is a System Premier stamped "sterling silver" but without | |||
::hallmarks. I am looking at it with a 15X loupe, and it never had any hallmarks. I have found if they | |||
::have the "K" & "P" in shields on the band, they often lack hallmarks.<br> | |||
::it was my understanding that the sheets and tubes of silver were purchased by Peterson, stamped | |||
::with the maker's mark, and then sent to the assay office. The assay office then would return the | |||
::hallmarked tubes and sheets for the Peterson silversmiths to use”. | |||
'''Ed quote:-'''<br> | |||
::“I am only talking about Pre-Republic pipes made in Ireland; all of the Petersons made | |||
::in England I have with silver bands have London hallmarks on them.<br> | |||
::Peterson know very little about the history of their pipes; I have spoken at length to Tom Palmer of | |||
::Peterson, and they just do not have records, or really much knowledge, about Peterson pipes prior | |||
::to 1980.<br> | |||
::I own about 250 hallmarked Petersons dated between 1890 and 1939, and I have probably another | |||
::50 Pre-republic pieces that are stamped "Sterling Silver" but never had hallmarks. Oddly, almost | |||
::all of the old, hallmarked Petersons I own are not stamped "Sterling Silver." I also have maybe 100 | |||
::Republic pieces that bear Dublin hallmarks, and just a few that are stamped 'Sterling Silver" but | |||
::have no hallmarks. Many of these are un-smoked, so there is no chance the hallmarks have worn | |||
::off. I think the inconsistency has something to do with the "Sterling Silver" stamp; I have an idea of | |||
::someone who will know the answer to this question.<br> | |||
::You are correct about inconsistency being more the rule than the exception regarding pipe | |||
::nomenclature and stamping. I have been working on a guide for old Peterson pipes for several | |||
::years, and they changed their stampings and grading systems often, and offered many special | |||
::pieces and oddball lines, even in the old days. It is all part of the joy of collecting”. | |||
I have included some photo examples from my humble collection of pre Republics. I hope you | |||
enjoy the viewing. | |||
===1895 – 1970 London Made Pipes=== | |||
English made Peterson pipes actually spanned the period between the pre-Republic and Republic | |||
eras. In 1895, Peterson opened a shop in London England that lasted until the late 1960s. So the | |||
English Era, for a simplified date, will be from 1895 through to around1970. The stamps Peterson | |||
used in London and that we have seen are: | |||
*Made in England - block format | |||
*Made in England - circle format | |||
*Made in London | |||
*Made in London England | |||
*Simply, London England | |||
*Great Britain | |||
Though there are a couple of more, the above will give one the general idea. We believe the earliest | |||
stamp of this era was the "Made in England" in a block format since Peterson was using the "Made | |||
in Ireland" block format at about the same time on their Irish production pipes. The "Made in | |||
England" circle format was used during the same time frame as the "Made in Eire" and "Made in | |||
Ireland" circle formats.<br> | |||
As one can see this is pretty straightforward but there have been inconsistencies within this method | |||
of stamping. Peterson was never very energetic in removing their old stamps from the work stations | |||
so the older stamps can and did cross-over into the newer Era's. | |||
Some Peterson smokers in the know prefer the smoking quality of the Peterson London factory | |||
pipes over those produced in Dublin. | |||
The London office and Factory was located at 74/77 White Lion Street. There is some speculation | |||
as to when it may have closed and stopped production.(80's?) I have copies of two English Peterson | |||
pipe catalogues,one is dated 1962 and the later one is dated 1965.<br> | |||
Here are some sample pipe photos from those London made pipes in my collection. | |||
===1950 – Present day=== | |||
====An Introduction to the modern Peterson Pipes==== | |||
As an avid Peterson pipe enthusiast and collector, I am amazed at how little has been written in the | As an avid Peterson pipe enthusiast and collector, I am amazed at how little has been written in the | ||
past to chronicle the Peterson pipe history and the story of it's evolution. When I first started out | past to chronicle the Peterson pipe history and the story of it's evolution. When I first started out | ||
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enthusiasts,especially the new Peterson pipe owner or collector. | enthusiasts,especially the new Peterson pipe owner or collector. | ||
===Guide Listings of the Peterson modern series=== | ====Guide Listings of the Peterson modern series==== | ||
'''''1950 onwards.- Made in the Republic of Ireland'''''<br> | '''''1950 onwards.- Made in the Republic of Ireland'''''<br> | ||
The following lists and groupings are hopefully a tool to make it easier to come to terms with the | The following lists and groupings are hopefully a tool to make it easier to come to terms with the | ||
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'''To be Continued'''<br> | '''To be Continued'''<br> | ||
'''''Peterson System Pipes'''''<br> | '''''Peterson System Pipes'''''<br> | ||
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