Jacobean
"Jacobean" was the name used for some of the first pipes made by Les Wood and Dolly Wood following their departure from Dunhill.[1] The name was a reference to a period in British royal history and was one of a number of names Leslie and Dolly explored during this period for their pipes. Among the other names explored were "Elizabethan" and "Tudor."
Originally, Jacobean pipes were made under the umbrella of the L&J Silverware company Leslie Wood had founded with Jimmy Craig at the end of the 1970s (the "J" in L&JS was first intended to refer to Craig's forename, just as the "L" did with Wood's). However, Craig had departed the company at the time of the Jacobean's manufacture.
Jacobean pipes shared many properties with those of the Ferndown make that Leslie and Dolly would eventually settle on. The stummels were hand-turned by Leslie, oil cured, and eventually finished by Dolly. The pipes also typically included silverwork provided by Leslie. The stems used for Jacobean pipes were however made from pre-formed ebonite, rather than the hand cut mouthpieces later used as standard on Ferndown pipes.
Finishes
As Jacobean pipes were made during a transitional period in Leslie and Dolly's careers (with Les continuing to work as a contracted silversmith for Dunhill and other manufacturers), the names of Jacobean finishes changed during the years of their production. Jacobean's light smooth finish, for example, was originally called "Natural," before later becoming the "Root." Leslie was concerned that Dunhill would consider "Root" to be an intellectual property infringement, hence the original name. Dunhill later informed Leslie that he was free to use it without issue. The names and corresponding styles of Jacobean finishes overlapped with some of those later used by Ferndown with some remaining consistent (e.g., the Jacobean and Ferndown "Root") and others changing significantly (e.g., the Jacobean and Ferndown "Reo").
- Natural: light smooth, later becoming the Root.
- Original: dark brown smooth.
- Reo: red smooth.
The End of Jacobean
The Jacobean make was eventually retired by Leslie and Dolly Wood for a number of reasons. One was that non-British smokers struggled to pronounce "Jacobean" and were unfamiliar with the British royal history from which the name was derived. Leslie and Dolly also wanted a fresh start for what would become the Ferndown make, in part due to changes in the location and methods of the pipes' manufacture.
Gallery
- Examples of Jacobean pipes.
A Jacobean Natural. Image courtesy MBSD Pipes.
A Jacobean Reo. Image courtesy MBSD Pipes.
A Jacobean Original. Image courtesy MBSD Pipes.
- ↑ Information for this article was supplied by Mr Wood himself.