Charatan’s Make Lane Era Distinction De Luxe 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 (what today is known simply as a contrast stain). This one holds the additional distinctions of both being a Distinction De Luxe grade, an Extra Large size, and a relic from the first Lane era, circa 1961-65—widely considered to have been Charatan’s best years for its freehand output by collectors and appreciators of English pipes.

The condition is very good. Some darkening and finish fading on the inner rim.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.90 / 22.86mm

Bowl Depth: 1.73″ / 43.94mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 42g