GBD Universe 1350 Smooth Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, French Estates

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.

This particular GBD is an odd one, but by no means in a bad way. The stem, for example, looks like it could have come off a Danish freehand, but it is indeed a genuine GBD stem, as with others in the Universe line. I have to wonder whether the former were the impetus for the stem design used here. It’s a French-made GBD, so it’s a pre-1980 piece, before the Cadogan Investments merger, but perhaps it was a 1960s or 1970s output.

The condition is fair. There’s definitely some rim darkening, but nothing to stop it from being a great smoker.

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.76 / 19.30mm

Bowl Depth: 1.37″ / 34.79mm

Weight: 1.2oz / 36g