GBD Super Q 789 L Smooth Pot w/ Aluminum Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

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 Super “Q” line is a little unusual for a couple of reasons. For one, the line’s defining feature was an aluminum faux spigot mount—faux, because instead of a typical, two-piece spigot fitment, the tenon itself was a separate material, housing a unique stinger. That appears to have been the “Q” in question, which naturally leads us to ask, “What does the ‘Q’ stand for?” Well, that brings us to another interesting aspect of the Super “Q,” in that it appears to have a borrowing of sorts from another make that GBD’s parent company owned: Dr Plumb. Dr Plumb pipes were notable for their interesting technical contributions to pipe smoking, emerging at a time when every serious pipe maker was looking for a way to provide the coolest smoking pipes around. That appears to have been Dr Plumb’s foothold, through pipes such as the Peacemaker (which was incorporated into the BBB catalog by its parent company, which also owned GBD), and the Quintex. The latter was exactly the same design as the GBD Super “Q,” to the point where I can only assume that it is the namesake of the GBD line.

The condition is fair. Some rim darkening, chamber slightly over-reamed, and some handling marks.

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.92 / 23.36mm

Bowl Depth: 1.48″ / 37.59mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 34g