GBD Pre-1980s Century Collector 9668 Smooth Dublin Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories in London and Paris to meet an increasing demand for the make’s high-quality and highly desirable pipes. Partly owing to the make’s inventive, yet traditional shapes, and partly due to the high standards of their production, GBD pipes are particularly coveted by collectors, as well as those who simply appreciate classic, well-made smoking instruments.

GBD’s Century line was introduced in 1950 and, as you might guess, was intended as a commemoration of 100 years of Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger’s storied make. Lightly finished and typically exhibiting excellent grain patterns (as this one does), it was a fitting pipe for such a milestone. This one is a slight cut above even that, though. For one, it’s one of GBD’s Collector subseries, the second-largest group of the make’s oversized pipes. It also features something that became a signature of sorts for GBD pipes, that being a translucent, perspex mouthpiece which gave an added layer of distinction to a few, typically higher-end, lines. As for dating, the nomenclature and brass inlaid “GBD” rondelle in the mouthpiece indicate this as being a pre-1980s GBD, and thus a pre-Cadogan Investments merger make.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original (slightly time-worn) bowl coating. A couple of handling marks and small scratches on the bowl, though nothing major.

Details:

Length: 6.3″ / 160.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.93 / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.84″ / 46.73mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 48g