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[[Image:BenW_02.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Family Era Nomenclature]]The company was founded by Benjamin Wade in 1860 in Leeds, Yorkshire, where it was located for over a century. Ben Wade started as a pipe trader, but yet in the 1860's he established a workshop to produce briar pipes. The pipes were made in very many standard shapes - always extensively classic and "very British". Many models tended to be of smaller dimensions. Ben Wade offered a very high standard of craftsmanship and quality without any fills. Thus the pipes were considered to be high grade and a major competitor to other famous English brands. The often heard comparison to [[Charatan]] seems to be a little bit inadequate because those days' Charatans were entirely handmade. | [[Image:BenW_02.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Family Era Nomenclature]]The company was founded by Benjamin Wade in 1860 in Leeds, Yorkshire, where it was located for over a century. Ben Wade started as a pipe trader, but yet in the 1860's he established a workshop to produce briar pipes. The pipes were made in very many standard shapes - always extensively classic and "very British". Many models tended to be of smaller dimensions. Ben Wade offered a very high standard of craftsmanship and quality without any fills. Thus the pipes were considered to be high grade and a major competitor to other famous English brands. The often heard comparison to [[Charatan]] seems to be a little bit inadequate because those days' Charatans were entirely handmade. | ||
In the | <gallery widths=225 heights=185 caption="An early example, likely circa 1890's, with case, beautiful silver work, and an amber stem, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | ||
File:BenWadeAmber02.jpg | |||
File:BenWadeAmber07.jpg | |||
File:BenWadeAmber10.jpg | |||
</gallery> | |||
In the second World War the factory was destroyed by German air raids on Leeds. But the Ben Wade family decided to re-build it immediately after the war and pipe production was re-started soon and successfully linked to the fame from the pre-war years. | |||
Before the second war Ben Wade clustered their offerings into three price points: "Ben Wade" included the higher end pipes (eg the Larnix, Super Grain, Selected Grain, etc), "BW" included the mid-level pipes (eg Statesman, Natural Grain, County, etc), and "BWL" were the least expensive (eg Hurlingham, Adelphi, Tense Grain). Champion was in the last group, and in the 1930s at least retailed for 2/6. | |||
The Champion disappeared during the War when the Ben Wade line was materially slimmed down, presumably to reflect difficulties of supply. The name continued to appear in brand directories st least through the early sixties, however it's unclear whether production was actually resumed.''Courtesy [http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ben-wade-the-champion PipesMagazine.com]" | |||
<gallery widths=300 heights=200 caption="What appears to be a Ben Wad Champion, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | |||
File:Champion01.jpg | |||
File:Champion07.jpg | |||
</gallery> | |||
<gallery widths=225 heights=185 caption="BWL Ben Wade Leeds Hurlingham, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | |||
File:BWL01.jpg | |||
File:BWL07.jpg | |||
File:BWL08.jpg | |||
File:BWL09.jpg | |||
</gallery> | |||
Even though the owner family decided to leave pipe business and sell off the firm. The family went into negotiations with Herman G. Lane, president of Lane Ltd. in New York at about the same time as the Charatan family. Lane Ltd. bought both firms in 1962. | |||
Herman G. Lane had been Charatan's US sole distributor since 1955 and Charatan always remained his pet child. But Ben Wade was treated in another way by it's new owner. The fabrication of pipes was reduced and the factory in Leeds was closed in 1965 finally. | Herman G. Lane had been Charatan's US sole distributor since 1955 and Charatan always remained his pet child. But Ben Wade was treated in another way by it's new owner. The fabrication of pipes was reduced and the factory in Leeds was closed in 1965 finally. | ||
So this was the end of Ben Wade pipes stamped "Made in Leeds, England". | So this was the end of Ben Wade pipes stamped "Made in Leeds, England". | ||
<gallery widths=225 heights=185 Caption="A Made in Leeds, England example, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | |||
File:BWLeeds01.jpg | |||
File:BWLeeds07.jpg | |||
File:BWLeeds08.jpg | |||
File:BWLeeds13.jpg | |||
</gallery> | |||
===A Charatan / Lane second=== | ===A Charatan / Lane second=== | ||
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Image:NobelPrize2000_03.jpg| | Image:NobelPrize2000_03.jpg| | ||
Image:NobelPrize2000_04.jpg| | Image:NobelPrize2000_04.jpg| | ||
</gallery></center> | |||
<center><gallery widths=300 heights=200 caption="Ben Wade Nobel Prize 2000, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | |||
File:BenWade NobelPrize01.jpg | |||
File:BenWade NobelPrize02.jpg | |||
</gallery></center> | |||
<center><gallery widths=300 heights=300 caption="Ben Wade DELUXE, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | |||
File:BenWadeDELUXE01.jpg | |||
File:BenWadeDELUXE07.jpg | |||
</gallery></center> | </gallery></center> | ||
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[[Image:Ben Wade Pipe01.jpg|right|thumb|Image Courtesy of pipes2smoke.com]][[Image:Ben Wade Pipe02.jpg|left|thumb|Image Courtesy of pipes2smoke.com]]Quoted from advertising: ''"The drilling and finishing of these hand made pipes would put many far more expensive pipes to shame. The bowls are carved at the world famous 32 St. Andrews Road, Walthamstowe pipe factory, in London, England. The same factory where Dunhills are made. Every pipe is drilled spot on and exhibits a good blast and all have high quality German Vulcanite mouthpieces. Every pipe is stamped "Ben Wade, Made in London, England". The craftsmanship and smokability have always been superb. | [[Image:Ben Wade Pipe01.jpg|right|thumb|Current production Image Courtesy of [http://pipes2smoke.com/ pipes2smoke.com]]][[Image:Ben Wade Pipe02.jpg|left|thumb|Current production Image Courtesy of [http://pipes2smoke.com/ pipes2smoke.com]]]Quoted from advertising: ''"The drilling and finishing of these hand made pipes would put many far more expensive pipes to shame. The bowls are carved at the world famous 32 St. Andrews Road, Walthamstowe pipe factory, in London, England. The same factory where Dunhills are made. Every pipe is drilled spot on and exhibits a good blast and all have high quality German Vulcanite mouthpieces. Every pipe is stamped "Ben Wade, Made in London, England". The craftsmanship and smokability have always been superb. | ||
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=== Gallery of examples === | === Gallery of examples === | ||
<center><gallery widths=200px heights=175px caption=" | <center><gallery widths=200px heights=175px caption="Various Ben Wade examples, details, and nomenclature, courtesy Doug Valitchka"> | ||
File:BenWade&Box17.jpg | File:BenWade&Box17.jpg|Post Family Era, pre Lane Era Ben Wade | ||
File:BenWadePot07.jpg|Nomenclature, post Family pre Lane era | |||
File:BenWadePot10.jpg|Stem Symbol, post Family, pre-Lane era | |||
File:BenWadeWestern01.jpg|Western, Post Family, but is it pre-Lane era, or modern production? | |||
File:BenWadeWestern07.jpg|Western Nomenclature, but is it pre-Lane era, or modern production? | |||
File:BenWade01.jpg| | File:BenWade01.jpg| | ||
File:BenWade07.jpg| | File:BenWade07.jpg| | ||
File:BenWadeHandModel01.jpg | File:BenWadeHandModel01.jpg|Hand Model | ||
File:BenWadeHandModel07.jpg | File:BenWadeHandModel07.jpg|Hand Model Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeHM0Craggy.jpg | File:BenWadeHM2-01.jpg | ||
File:BenWadeHM0Craggy2.jpg | File:BenWadeHM2-01.jpg | ||
File:BenWadeHM01.jpg | File:BenWadeHandModelBlast01.jpg|Hand Model Blast | ||
File:BenWadeHM07.jpg | File:BenWadeHandModelBlast07.jpg|Hand Model Blast Nomenclature | ||
File: | File:BenWadeHM0Craggy.jpg|Hand Craggy Model | ||
File: | File:BenWadeHM0Craggy2.jpg|Hand Craggy Model Detail | ||
File: | File:BenWadeHM01.jpg|Hand Model | ||
File: | File:BenWadeHM07.jpg|Hand Model Nomenclature | ||
File: | File:BenWadeHM2-01.jpg|Hand Model (Charatan Era?) | ||
File: | File:BenWadeHM2-07.jpg|Hand Model (Charatan Era?) detail | ||
File: | BenWadeSelectGrain70-01.jpg|Select Grain, London, Charatan Era | ||
File:BenWadeProm01.jpg | BenWadeSelectGrain70-11.jpg|Select Grain, detail | ||
File:BenWadeProm07.jpg | File:BenWadeMajestic01.jpg|Majestic | ||
File:BenWadeProm09.jpg | File:BenWadeMajestic13.jpg|Majestic Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeRD01.jpg | File:BenWadeMajestic14.jpg|Majestic Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeRD07.jpg | File:BenWadeMatt01.jpg|Matt Original | ||
File:BenWadeRefl01.jpg | File:BenWadeMatt07.jpg|Matt Original Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeRefl08.jpg | File:BenWadeProm01.jpg|Prominence | ||
File:BenWadeRoyalGr01.jpg | File:BenWadeProm07.jpg|Prominence Detail | ||
File:BenWadeRoyalGr08.jpg | File:BenWadeProm09.jpg|Prominence Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeSitter01.jpg | BWProm01.jpg|Prominence | ||
File:BenWadeSitter07.jpg | BWProm07.jpg|Prominence detail | ||
File:BenWadeSitter08.jpg | File:BenWadeRD01.jpg|Royal Grain | ||
File:BenWadeSpecColl01.jpg | File:BenWadeRD07.jpg|Royal Grain Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeSpecColl07.jpg | File:BenWadeRefl01.jpg|Reflection | ||
File:BenWadeSpecColl08.jpg | File:BenWadeRefl08.jpg|Reflection Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeSpiral01.jpg | File:BenWadeRoyalGr01.jpg|Royal Grain | ||
File:BenWadeSpiral05.jpg | File:BenWadeRoyalGr08.jpg|Royal Grain Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeSpiral07.jpg | File:BenWadeSitter01.jpg|Sitter | ||
File:BenWadeSpiral09.jpg | File:BenWadeSitter07.jpg|Sitter Nomenclature | ||
File:BenWadeSitter08.jpg|Sitter Stem Symbol | |||
File:BenWadeSpecColl01.jpg|Special Collection | |||
File:BenWadeSpecColl07.jpg|Special Collection Nomenclature | |||
File:BenWadeSpecColl08.jpg|Special Collection Nomenclature | |||
File:BenWadeSpiral01.jpg|Spiral | |||
File:BenWadeSpiral05.jpg|Spiral Detail | |||
File:BenWadeSpiral07.jpg|Spiral Nomenclature | |||
File:BenWadeSpiral09.jpg|Spiral Stem Symbol | |||
BWBlack-Laser-01.jpg|Latest production | |||
BWBlack-Laser-07.jpg|Latest production detail (laser engraved) | |||
</gallery></center> | </gallery></center> | ||
[[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Great Britain]][[Category: Denmark]] | [[Category: Pipe makers by nationality]][[Category: Great Britain]][[Category: Denmark]] |