Wally Frank Smooth Horn Cigar Wind Cap Estate Briar Pipe, American Estates

Description

You may be familiar with cigar-shaped pipes thanks to Chris Morgan’s Briar Cigar line, or Vauen’s Zeppelin, but the concept itself goes back all the way to the 1920s at least. This one comes from Wally Frank, which was not a pipe maker per se, but rather a historic American tobacconist, which had its house-brand pipes produced by numerous established makes. These makes included Charatan, Sasieni, Weber, and many others. The question of who made this distinct, horn-cigar, wind cap hybrid piece is a little difficult, therefore, as is when it might have been made. As Wally Frank was established in the 1930s, it’s safe to say it’ll have been made after this point, though given that pipes of this kind were far more popular in the first half of the 20th century than the second, I’d imagine it to be a mid-century make at most. In any case, it’s a fascinating artifact, and I’ve no doubt it’ll find a happy home quite soon.

The condition is remarkably good. As should be expected, there’s some darkening on the inside and outside of the “rim” (i.e., the cap), but I don’t note any issues aside from a sandpit here and there (a natural, cosmetic imperfection commonly found in briar).

 

Details:

Length: 5.7″ / 144.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.74 / 18.79mm

Bowl Depth: 1.55″ / 39.37mm

Weight: 1.6oz / 46g