GBD Prehistoric 1454 Sandblasted Billiard w/ Perspex Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

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.

Save perhaps Dunhill, there are few pipe-makers who can claim the sheer number of iconic, traditional pipe designs as GBD. And one of the most iconic GBD designs is found in its Prehistoric series – more specifically, in its Prehistoric models with Perspex stems. As can be seen on this one, the transparent stem provides, as GBD themselves used to say, an “attractive contrast to the deep dark finish” of the pipe’s stummel. Just as with the best of the old English pipes, this one’s stummel is aggressively sandblasted, bringing the growth rings of the briar used into sharp relief.

This GBD is also completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating (though this coating has flaked off a little over the decades since its application). This pipe was made pre-1980, i.e., before GBD was absorbed by Cadogan Investments.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.78 / 19.81mm

Bowl Depth: 1.54″ / 39.11mm

Weight: 1.0oz / 30g