Charatan’s Make Executive Lane Era Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

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.

The old, Lane era (1961-1976) Charatan freehands really were something else, as this Executive grade perfectly exemplifies. Less rugged than many of its Danish cousins, the pipe nonetheless manages to strike an assertive profile, mixing excellent attention to straight grain briar patterns with an ability to mold that root so gracefully that you might imagine it was putty or clay in the carver’s hands.

The condition is great. Some inner rim darkening.

 

Details:

Length: 7″ / 177.8mm

Bowl Width: 0.97 / 24.63mm

Bowl Depth: 1.69″ / 42.92mm

Weight: 3.5oz / 102g