Willmer Straight Grain AAA Freehand Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

H. Willmer and Sons was an English pipe workshop founded at some point in the mid-20th century and closed in the mid-2000s. Harold Willmer himself was the brother of Dan Tennyson, one of Charatan’s freehand carvers, and would, according to Ken Barnes, often buy bowls from Charatan’s freehand workshop, which would be subsequently finished by Willmer’s craftsmen. In addition to these pipes, Willmer also manufactured more traditional briars, which were also made by hand.

In addition to generously providing a wealth of information about Charatan and James Upshall, Kennedy Barnes’ regular question and answer sessions on Pipes Magazine Forums in the late 2010s revealed a fascinating and hitherto unknown aspect about the British make Willmer. It turns out that, while Harold Willmer never worked for Charatan, he would occasionally buy bowls, which had been turned by Charatan’s freehand carvers. These bowls would then be finished and sold as Willmer pipes. So, now, whenever a Willmer freehand lands on my desk, the same question pops into my mind: is this Willmer actually a Charatan? This one is eerily similar to Charatan’s Lane era freehands, not only due to its superior grain, but also due to the semi-traditional, yet distinct shaping. The subtle fluting on the sides of this one’s bowl are very much of the Charatan style, as are the pipe’s general proportions. I can’t know for certain, of course, but I do have my hunches.

The condition is fair. Some rim darkening, including a spot of char at the back lip, minor handling marks, and somewhat faded stamping.

 

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.95 / 24.13mm

Bowl Depth: 1.82″ / 46.22mm

Weight: 3.1oz / 88g