Design Berlin was a prominent German pipe manufacturer founded by Hubert Hartmann in 1948 as Pfeifenstudio Hartmann. As part of a modernization effort, the company adopted the Design Berlin name and its distinctive lowercase “db” logo in 1975. Before production ended in 2019, Design Berlin had become Germany’s second-best-selling pipe brand after Vauen.
The company’s tobacco pipes combined traditional German construction with contemporary European design. Lothar Schirwitz is credited with helping modernize the brand’s catalog, introducing shapes and finishes influenced by Danish artisan pipe making. Design Berlin produced everything from classic apples, billiards, brandies, and Rhodesians to unusual sitters, partially carved designs, annual editions, and handmade pieces. Most examples were engineered for 9mm filters, although unfiltered models also exist.
MBSD’s changing Design Berlin selection consists of estate pipes acquired through customer trade-ins, collections, and other secondary-market sources. Many surviving examples are unsmoked, but their secondary-market provenance means they remain classified as estate pipes. Review each listing for its series, shape, condition, filter configuration, stem material, silverwork, original packaging, and other included accessories.
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Design Berlin Tobacco Pipe FAQ
Design Berlin was a German pipe manufacturer founded by Hubert Hartmann in 1948 as Pfeifenstudio Hartmann. The company adopted the Design Berlin name and lowercase “db” logo in 1975 and later became Germany’s second-best-selling pipe brand after Vauen.
Lothar Schirwitz was a German pipe maker closely associated with Design Berlin’s later development. He is credited with helping modernize the company’s designs by introducing shapes, finishes, and decorative elements influenced by Danish artisan pipe making.
No. Design Berlin ended production in 2019 after more than 70 years of operation. Pipes encountered today come from existing retail stock, private collections, and other secondary-market sources.
No, but Design Berlin produced many tobacco pipes engineered for 9mm filters, reflecting the popularity of filtered pipes in Germany. Unfiltered examples also exist. Check each MBSD listing to confirm the pipe’s filter configuration and whether an adapter or other accessories are included.
MBSD acquires Design Berlin pipes through customer trade-ins, collections, and other secondary-market sources. Newly acquired estate tobacco pipes are generally listed nightly at approximately 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To sell or exchange a Design Berlin or another tobacco pipe, visit our pipe trade-in page:
https://www.mbsdpipes.com/trade-in-smoking-pipe/
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