Charatan’s Make Reuben Era Special 6 Smooth Yachtsman 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.

Though it bears the trademark “L” logo of Lane Ltd., this particular Charatan is in fact not a Lane era pipe—i.e., of the period during which Lane Ltd. owned F. Charatan & Son—but is, rather, from the last years during which Reuben Charatan owned and managed the firm. This is evinced by the pipe’s shape code, 6, which lacks a “DC” or “X” stamp that would indicate it as having Lane Ltd.’s proprietary Double Comfort stem, or as being a non-standard, non-Double Comfort pipe. The shape itself is what we today might call a Zulu, or a yachtsman if we’re being pedantic, but Reuben Charatan called it a “Huntsman.” It’s a rather large design, distinguished by a straight figure that transitions dramatically into a steep forward cant. This one is a Special grade, which was, per Charatan, for pipes with “Perfection in graining” and which were dressed in a light, natural finish that would put those patterns on full display.

The condition is very good. Some minor inner rim darkening and slight handling marks.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.85 / 21.59mm

Bowl Depth: 1.63″ / 40.41mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g