GBD: Difference between revisions

There is a very simple explanation for GBD's program to turn more "British": GBD became a British company soon after the turn of the century! In 1902 Marechal and Ruchon sold GBD to '''A. Oppenheimer & Co.''' in London. Charles Oppenheimer had founded this successful trade business in 1860 as an import-/export house. His brothers David and Adolphe and brother-in-law Louis Adler soon joined him. Adolphe took over when Charles went to Germany as British ambassador.  Briar pipes were among the first products traded. The business relation to GBD in Paris began as early as 1870. Being the most important customer in the English speaking world, Oppenheimer & Co. were designated as sole distributor for Great Britain, the USA and Canada in  1897. Especially Adolphe Oppenheimer had a burning interest in the pipe business, and Louis' son James Adler shared that. He should play the most important role in the amicable merger of GBD. A. Marechal, Ruchon and Cie. in Paris was now '''Marechal, Ruchon & Co. Ltd.''' (see '''[[Marechal Ruchon & Cie.]]''' page) - a British firm with four directors: Adolphe Oppenheimer and James Adler had their seat in the head office in London while Auguste Marechal and Ferdinand Ruchon went on leading the GBD factory in the Rue des Balkan in Paris, which was considerably extended and modernised. Ruchon acted as CEO.

[[Image:gbdProdsg2.jpg|380px|thumb|left|GBD Prodigy Super Grain, London England<br>courtesy Dennis Dreyer Collection]][[File:Fleur de Lis.jpg|thumb|Courtesy Doug Valitchka]]

At the same time when the negotiatios with GBD started Oppenheimer also acquired two pipe factories in Saint-Claude: '''Sina & Cie.''' and '''C.J. Verguet Freres'''. Merging them a huge plant came into being that was thoroughly reconstructed and reorganized. The management was headed by Lucien Verguet.  This new Saint-Claude factory was ready to operate in 1906. Beside it's very own commercial activities in pipe production it's main task was to supply prefabricated bowls.

[[Image:BULL 1-1.jpg|thumb|right|GBD Prehistoric 237 U  [http://pipe.forumssity.ru/viewtopic.php?id=31#p771 Сollection Yuriy Novikov]]]

[[Image:D 1.jpg|thumb|right|GBD STANDARD 1086 St.Claude [http://pipe.forumssity.ru/viewtopic.php?id=31#p784 Сollection Yuriy Novikov]]]

[[Image:1019-01-1.jpg|thumb|right|GBD UNIQUE STRAIGHT GRAIN London England]]

[[Image:GBD 922.jpg|thumb|GBD 922 STRAIGHT GRAIN France]]

[[Image:GBD2.jpg|thumb|right|GBD Estate Pipe Unique Magnum Sized Bent Champaigne Sitter from  

[http://www.smokershaven.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=310 Smoker's Haven]]]

Other brands of this time were marketed with even larger independence. The '''Dr. Plumb’s''' had been developed by the Parisian sales manager J.B. Rubinovich in 1925 when GBD France needed “a cheap line of pipes" especially for the Canadian market. In fact, the new brand was nicknamed for Mr. Rubinovich’s secretary Leslie W. Plumb, whose most important business was "to doctor figure" the ledgers. Dr. Plumb’s made their way not only in Canada. - The '''Peter Piper''', as well as the Dr. Plumb’s produced in Saint-Claude, is another great example that stampings like "London made" or "London England" are not always totally trustworthy also on older pipes! Not only today numberless brands are made in Saint Claude and stamped with whatever the buyer wants to be stamped...

<gallery widths=250px heights=185px caption="Older cased GBD, courtesy Doug Valitchka">

File:GBD Old14.jpg

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