Medley by GBD Sandblasted Sitter 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. Medley was a sub-brand of GBD in the mid-20th century.

This particular Medley is a highly distinct shape, so much so that I wasn’t sure what to categorize it as. As with other Medley pipes, it also forced me to undertake the painstakingly long search to find out exactly which GBD shape it had taken the form of. Thankfully, I did indeed find it: GBD’s shape 9665. I’m still not entirely sure what to call it, as I’ve heard it referred to as a poker, a bent billiard, a sitter, and a cherrywood, and I’d even go so far as to suggest that it could also be considered a volcano. It’s a good looking pipe regardless, with a reserved black sandblast and a slightly wider than average chamber. Judging by the stamping, this will be a pre-1980 pipe, prior to the Cadogan Investments merger, of which the GBD company was a part.

This Medley is completely unsmoked, with an original bowl coating.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.93″ / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.62″ / 41.14mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 48g