Sasieni: Difference between revisions

''The following article is from Stephen P. Smith's [http://murderofravens.wordpress.com/my-sasieni-pipe-article/ Connecting the Dots] and used by permission. Please feel free to contribute additional information, but do not edit or delete the material within Steve's article -- Pipedia SYSOP''

== Connecting the Dots: A Concise History of the Sasieni Pipe ==

'''By Stephen P. Smith'''

[[Image:SasieniC.jpg|thumb|300px|1926 8-dot, shape #44, plum finish, courtesy [http://www.glpease.com/ G.L.Pease]]]

[[Image:SasieniD.jpg|thumb|300px|Tapered bulldogs. The upper Rustic is an early 1-dot (single dot on each side of the stem). The Rough Root below is a later 4-dot version in the “Brooklands” shape. Courtesy [http://www.glpease.com/ G.L.Pease]]]

In his book, “The Ultimate Pipe Book”, Richard Carleton Hacker writes American pipe collectors “seem to be more preoccupied with ’smokable’ brand names, of which the most collectible are Dunhill, Barling, Sasieni, and Charatan.” Theodore Justin Gage, the former publisher of the much missed “The Compleat Smoker”, called Sasieni pipes a “fascinating collectible, …representing all that is good about classic English pipe making.” And for good reason: the pipes made by the Sasieni company between the years 1919 and 1979 rank among the very best the London pipe industry had to offer. They featured superb wood, flawless bowls, outstanding smoking qualities, and a styling that was uniquely theirs.

=== A Brief History of the Sasieni Company ===

There is a great deal of mystery surrounding the Sasieni pipe, owing largely to the fact there is such a paucity of written information about them, as is the case with many collectible pipes. Even the name of the founder has been subject to debate. One respected source says the founder was named “Joel” Sasieni. Another equally respected source says with equal certainty the name was “Joseph” Sasieni. (A third, rather less reliable source once told me “Joel” and “Joseph” were brothers, but I think we can safely dismiss that.) An old Sasieni catalog which I came maddeningly identifies the founder as “J. Sasieni”.  However, some research at the U. S. Patent Office conclusively shows that his first name was Joel.

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This spirit of cooperation between the old and new owners does not appear to have lasted long. Alfred Sasieni believed only vulcanite should be used for pipe stems, eschewing the newer, trendier Lucite. When the new owners, contrary to Alfred’s wishes, issued a new Ten Dot, replete with Lucite stem, it seems Alfred decided he had had enough, and left the firm for good.

===Why Collect Sasieni’s?===

There are many reasons to collect these pipes, ranging from the purely monetary to the aesthetic and esoteric. While I personally do not collect pipes to make money, nor do I advise same, the fact remains a high grade, flawless, first quality pipe that currently sells for less than $100, and often less than $50, surely must have some potential for appreciation. No less an authority than the late Barry Levin himself once told me he felt Sasieni’s were severely under valued, but as time went by they would eventually take their rightful place next to Dunhill and Barling, as people came to appreciate the wonderful qualities of this pipe.

=== Some Acknowledgments ===

*An article like this is never truly finished. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, I’ll talk to another collector, or read another magazine article, or come across some bit of long hidden information, and be forced to reconsider my ideas. Should anyone have anything to add to this article, I would enthusiastically welcome your call. My office number is (617) 878-1300.

*Thanks first and foremost go to Theodore Justin Gage, former publisher of “The Compleat Smoker”, and Richard Carleton Hacker, author of “The Ultimate Pipe Book”. Both men graciously allowed me to quote from their published works, and gave generously of their time on three separate occasions each, even though neither of them was expecting a call from yours truly. Richard Carleton Hacker literally allowed his dinner to get cold one evening while he answered my many questions.

#Richard Carleton Hacker, The Ultimate Pipe Book, 2nd ed. (1984; reprint, Beverly Hills, CA: Autumngold Publishing, 1989), 234. Quoted with the author’s permission.

#Theodore Justin Gage, “The Sasieni Pipe: A Discriminating Collector’s Delight,” Levin Pipes International’s The Complete Smoker Monograph #2, October, 1993. Quoted with the author’s permission.

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