Custombilt (1946-53) Partially Rusticated Rhodesian Estate Briar Pipe, American Estates

Description

Custom-Bilt pipes were originally created in the early 20th century by Tracy Mincer, an American pipe-maker. Later adopting the slogan, “As Individual as a Thumbprint,” Custom-Bilts were each rusticated by hand, giving them their signature rugged look, and ensuring that no two Custom-Bilts were exactly alike. Today, these pipes are prized by collectors, pipe history enthusiasts, and those who generally appreciate a well-made smoking machine.

Custombilts have a reputation for being hardy, reliable smokers, which goes some way to explaining how even the much older production Custombilts manage to make it through our estates pipeline more or less ready to go straight back out into the world, and into the hands of their next owner. If my dating is correct, this one will have been made between 1946 and 1953, at a time when Tracy Mincer, the creator of the Custom-Bilt, had gone into a partnership with Eugene Rich and his company, essentially producing and distributing the make (now “Custombilt”) together. Even after 70 years it has, just as expected, held up remarkably well.

The condition is good. Some wear to the rim and some residual stem oxidation.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.80 / 20.32mm

Bowl Depth: 1.55″ / 39.37mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 48g