Schulte’s / Max Schulte Smooth Canadian w/ Silver Estate Briar Pipe, American Estates

Description

Schulte’s was an American pipe tobacconist, located in New Jersey in the second half of the 20th century. Like many pipe stores, Schulte’s sold house brand pipes, but unlike most pipe stores, many of these house brand pipes were made by the store’s owner, Max Schulte. Similarly to a few other American pipe tobacconists, like Boswell’s, Schulte himself would divide his time between sales and both restoring and making pipes, during which time he served as a teacher in the craft to a young Jack H. Weinberger.

Another beautiful pipe from Schulte’s, but this time with a bit of a mystery attached. The pipe is a very traditional, very Anglo-French Canadian—but, in this instance, more Anglo than French. In addition to the gorgeous bird’s-eye grain and natural stain that light up the pipe’s stummel, it also features a sterling silver collar. That’s the mystery part, as the collar is stamped with Birmingham silver hallmarks (the one in Britain, rather than Alabama). They’re a little faded, so I’m not able to tell whether the date mark is for 1943 or 1968, but either way I am led to wonder whether this pipe was made for Schulte’s by a British manufacturer. I did also wonder whether the band was from a repair, but it seems odd that the pipe would have traveled to Britain and back for that purpose.

The condition is very good. Some minor darkening and finish fading on the rim.

 

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.86“ / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 1.60″ / 40.64mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 34g