Charatan’s Make Special 58, Lane Era Liverpool Estate Briar Pipe [SOLD OUT]

Description

While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them in their factories and workshops, Charatan made every part of their pipes on the Charatan premises. So began a legacy of high-quality pipe-making under the Charatan name, one whose employees, at one time or another, included Joel Sasieni, and Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall fame.

This is quite a curious Charatan, for a number of reasons. For one, it’s incredibly lightweight, being a mere 28 grams, and as such it is an ideal clencher. It’s not too small, but it’s nonetheless the kind of size and weight I’m more used to seeing from Reuben era pipes, rather than Lane, which this is. Judging by the nomenclature, however, it does appear to be quite an early Lane, so that might explain it. The shape is also quite distinct, being ostensibly a Liverpool, but one with a stack, or chimney, bowl, as well as an ever so slightly bent, short vulcanite stem. Whoever carved this did an excellent job with the briar used, too, as most of the pipe – including the bowl – is swimming in chatoyant bird’s-eye grain patterns. All in all, a fantastic pipe, and one I almost kept for myself.

The condition is very good. There is some rim darkening and a superficial nick on the stem, but these are very much minor and do not detract from the look or the smoking properties of the pipe.

 

Details:

Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm

Bowl Width: 0.71 / 18.03mm

Bowl Depth: 1.94″ / 49.27mm

Weight: 0.9oz / 28g