Charatan’s Make Lane Era (1965-76) Special w/ 9kt Gold 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 (later of Dunhill, then Sasieni fame), Stan Haney (later of Ashby Hall), Dennis Marshall (later of Milville), and Ken Barnes and Barry Jones (later of James Upshall).

While Charatan remains famous for its straight grain pipes, there was still a place within the make’s grading schemes for other kinds of beautiful briar patterns. The Special was one such grade. Introduced during the Reuben era to denote “Premier quality pipes, cut in ‘cross grain’ or ‘bird’s eye'”, it maintained a place throughout the subsequent Lane era (to which this pipe belongs), where Special grades boasted “Perfection in graining in a natural finish.” This one shows off a great mix of cross-grain and bird’s-eye patterning, though it also shows off something rather rare for a Charatan pipe: a precious metal mount, in the form of a solid, 9 karat gold collar. Unlike their main competitors, such as Dunhill, it was not at all common for Charatan pipes—especially freehand Charatans—to be fitted with sterling silver or solid gold mounts or accents. In fact, having spoken to Les Wood, it would appear that Charatan, again, unlike Dunhill, did not have a dedicated, internal silver and gold mounting department for most of the 20th century (if ever). Instead, this work was contracted to independent silver and goldsmiths, with Les Wood, after having left Dunhill, being one of them. I’m not sure who collared this freehand brandy, made during the second Lane era of 1965-76, as Charatan’s management preferred that their own maker’s mark be used (“CP,” much like the Dunhill “AD”), though it is quite a Special pipe, that’s certain.

The condition is very good. Minor rim darkening and chamber slightly over-reamed.

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.80 / 20.32mm

Bowl Depth: 1.72″ / 43.68mm

Weight: 1.8oz / 52g