19th-c. Pre-KBB CPF Best Make Bulldog w/ Amber Stem Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

Description

It’s always exciting when a pipe arrives on my desk that solves a mystery! This one even made me have to update my pipe-makers compendium, and I’ll be asking some Pipedia editor friends to make the necessary changes to its article. For the moment, here’s an updated rundown:

The Colossus Pipe Factory, known by its initials C.P.F., is a make that is – as of yet – still a little shrouded in mystery. What is known is that the make was established in t̶h̶e̶ 1̶9̶t̶h̶ c̶e̶n̶t̶u̶r̶y̶ in 1851 and that it was owned by Kaufman Bros & Bondy (later of Kaywoodie fame) by at least 1898. It is also understood that the make disappeared, and was therefore likely discontinued, at some point between the mid- to late-1910s, with the exact year still under debate.

So, thanks to the little piece of paper that was packaged with this CPF, we now know that CPF was founded in 1851. The make’s ownership prior to being absorbed by KB&B is still unknown, but having a concrete date for its beginnings a vital piece for information for dating CPF pipes. As for the the date CPF was absorbed by KB&B, I recommend Steve Laug’s RebornPipes blog on the subject, where evidence has been collected that points to this being some time between 1884 and 1898. As this CPF shows no indication of a KB&B connection on either the pipe, its case, or the piece of paper it came with, this one must have been made between 1851 and 1884/1898. The pipe’s stem is genuine amber, as the paper note guarantees.

This 19th century gem is also completely unsmoked. As with other pipes of this vintage I’ve sold, I willl note that, for buyers, if you decide to smoke the pipe, please take extra care when doing so. Amber is a little more brittle than the ebonite or acrylic used for modern pipe stems, and the tenon on this one looks like it may be bone, which is more brittle than Delrin and the other tenon materials used today.

 

Details:

Length: 6.4″ / 162.5mm

Bowl Width: 0.75 / 19.05mm

Bowl Depth: 1.39″ / 35.30mm

Weight: 1.2oz / 36g