Charatan’s Make Distinction Lane Era Distinction Extra Large Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them in their factories and workshops, Charatan made every part of their pipes on the Charatan premises. So began a legacy of high-quality pipe-making under the Charatan name, one whose employees, at one time or another, included Joel Sasieni, and Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall fame.

The “Distinction” was one of the grades awarded to straight grain pipes from Charatan’s freehand workshop. That is in part why these pipes were awarded such a lofty title. But there is another reason for choosing that word in particular: the pipe’s stain. “Distinction” grade pipes were dressed in two distinct stains which gave the underlying grain an even more prominent appearance. In other words, these pipes wore what we today would call a contrast stain—a golden contrast stain, in fact. As Charatan freehands tend to be, this one is quite fascinating in its shaping, taking the form of a large, long shanked bent Dublin, with a small, sloping “foot” at its base. The result is something halfway between a classical cutty and a one of Charatan’s own signature designs, the Keel.

The condition is very good. Some wear to the rim and slight handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.93 / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.93″ / 49.02mm

Weight: 2.4oz / 70g