Michel Naturals (by GBD) 124 Smooth Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

Michel pipes were store-brand pipes made for Maison Michel, a North Carolina (USA) tobacconist run by Michel J. Mitchell between 1951 and 1980. Over the years, several prominent pipe-makers made pipes for Maison Michel, such as Charatan, Barling, GBD, and others.

Having established a solid connection between Michel pipes and GBD across a number of listings, I feel quite confident in attributing this Michel Naturals line billiard to the venerable Anglo-French make. While it is quite a conventional billiard (though one with very beautiful grain), the proportions match up with GBD’s own shape “124” billiard, just as the Naturals 255 and 1350 shapes matched with GBD counterparts. Given that Maison Michel closed in 1980, and that this Michel was made in France, that would also make it essentially a pre-Cadogan GBD, as far as the common periodization goes.

This pipe is completely unsmoked. There are a couple of worn out fills, but nothing that isn’t a minor, cosmetic matter.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm

Bowl Depth: 1.59″ / 40.38mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 34g