WDC Sterling Hand Made Army Mount Bent Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, American Estates

Description

The William Demuth Company, otherwise known as WDC, was established in 1862 by German-born American William Demuth, and survived as a mainstay brand in the United States until the 1970s. It would not be inappropriate to call such pipes ‘presidential,’ given that, owing initially to Demuth’s friendship with US president James Garfield, WDC pipes became an inauguration gift and fixture in the oval office for every president from Garfield to Hoover.

WDC’s Sterling line featured, as one can imagine, sterling silver mounts, with four possible grades available at four corresponding price points. These grades were, in ascending order, the Brighton, the Windsor, the Stratford, and the Hand Made. This one more than earns its grade by way of its beautiful, consistent bird’s-eye grain. Judging by the stem’s orific bit and the pipe’s overall smaller stature, this WDC looks to be around a century old (the silver “hallmarks” it bears are, unfortunately, purely decorative), which makes the grain even more impressive. After all, if you’ve handled pipes from that time, aside from a few exceptional makes, the aesthetic quality of the briar used was often an afterthought, with emphasis on ornamentation or quirky technical innovations. A pipe that looked as nice as it smoked—now that was a luxury.

The condition is excellent, too. Aside from some slight handling marks and very minor inner rim darkening, the pipe looks a fraction of its age.

 

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm

Bowl Depth: 1.42″ / 36.06mm

Weight: 0.8oz / 24g