GBD Pre-1980s Ebony 2006 Smooth Bulldog 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.

The Ebony appears to have been another relatively late addition to GBD’s catalog, though one that still made it in before the Cadogan Investments merger during the early 1980s. Defined by its contrasting hues of golden and dark brown, it was a modest, yet very elegant, design. This one is rendered in one of GBD’s more classical shapes, a traditional Anglo-French bulldog. As mentioned, the Ebony was introduced before the 1980s, and indeed this one comes from the pre-Cadogan production of GBD pipes, based on the nomenclature and rondelle.

This pipe is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating. A couple of slight scratches on the bowl, but they’re minor and purely cosmetic imperfections.

Details:

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.75 / 19.05mm

Bowl Depth: 1.41″ / 35.81mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 42g