GBD Corsaire 205 Smooth Cutty 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.

There are traditional pipe shapes, and there very traditional pipe shapes. This Corsaire from GBD is certainly the latter. With its distinct forward cant, slim shank and featherweight proportions, it is essentially a briar rendition of early clay tavern pipes—i.e., what we today would call a cutty, or perhaps a Belge or Belgique. While the pipe does not have a country of manufacture stamp, my records tell me that the Corsaire line was made in GBD’s French premises, which would make sense given that the Corsaire name is a French one, like other French-made GBD lines (e.g., the Sablee, the Speciale, etc.). I’m used to GBD pipes from the Saint-Claude factory having this stamped on them, so I do wonder whether this was made in their Paris factory, which closed in 1952. The brass rondelle should make it pre-1981, in any case.

This Corsaire is completely unsmoked.

 

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.61 / 15.49mm

Bowl Depth: 1.36″ / 34.54mm

Weight: 0.7oz / 22g