Ben Wade (Leeds Era) Walnut 3W Smooth Billiard (Estate)

Ben Wade was founded, as might be expected, by Leeds-based English pipe merchant Benjamin Wade in 1860. Soon after, Wade opened his own workshop to produce quintessentially British pipes. As one of the first makes to create pipes from briar, Ben Wade has a special place in pipe history, one only made more special by the famously high-quality of their output.

When you trade in estate pipes, most of the Ben Wades you see are actually Charatans or Preben Holms. In other words, most pre-owned Ben Wade pipes in circulation today were made by Charatan, where the make was used as a sub-brand for Charatan pipes, or in the workshop of Preben Holm, where the make was used for Danish freehand pipes. Both uses can be traced back to Herman Lane’s veritable tobacco empire Lane Ltd., which acquired Ben Wade in the early 1960s and contracted Holm in the early 1970s. But before Lane Ltd. entered the picture, Ben Wade was a venerable make in its own right, producing what were likely the most well-regarded pipes in the north of England.

The Walnut was one of Ben Wade’s higher-end lines during the “Leeds era,” and was distinguished by its warm, brown finish and superior graining. This one takes the form of a cross-cut billiard, with tight bird’s-eye netted around either flank of the bowl.

The condition is good. Some rim charring, slight handling marks, and slightly faded (though legible) nomenclature.

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm

Bowl Depth: 1.43″ / 36.32mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 32g