Charatan

Charatan, also known as Charatan’s Make, holds a special place in the history of English tobacco pipes, and in the history of tobacco pipes more generally. Founded in the mid-19th century by Frederick Charatan, the company originally sold meerschaum pipes carved by Frederick in his humble London workshop. By the early 20th century, however, the newly incorporated F. Charatan & Son company had switched focus to briar pipes, through which it effectively revolutionized the industry.

First, unlike other pipes companies back then, F. Charatan & Son manufactured every part of their pipes in-house, rather than sourcing and assembling individual components purchased from other companies. Second, Charatan championed the “straight grain” pipe, especially once Frederick’s son, Reuben Charatan, took the reins of the company in 1910. Third, the company was the first in England to craft “freehand” pipes, doing so from the 1950s onward. The next few decades would see Charatan pipes rise to worldwide acclaim, and even managing to hold their own amidst an explosion in popularity for Danish pipes during that same period. In the contemporary, Charatan pipes remain a favorite among smokers and collectors, with early to late 20th century pieces being particularly sought after.