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Dr. Grabow Pipes
"America's One and Only"
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Sir Duke
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 Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:52 pm Post subject: Irony of Ironies? |
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I find it odd that makers, Grabow included don't "date" their pipes.
They seem to only appreciate with age if not monatarily, then smokability seems to improve. Thats just me anyway. If I buy a Grabow on the shelf, the older the better. Not because it was a Lane, UST, or IP&A, but because the wood is older.
If I did prefer an older pipe over a newer one right of the rack because it seemed more collectable, than thats just gravy ain't it?
I'd like to see Grabow Start Dating their pipes. Heck, I hold as a prize the '02, '03 collectors BECAUSE they are dated. In the history of Grabow, they are about the only pies you KNOW the date of.
: )
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Gig
Duke & Westbrook Man
Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 240
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| Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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Hello.
Interesting point Sir Duke and I like the idea of knowing when my pipe was made 
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Regards
Gig aka "Duke, Westbrook & Omega Man"
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drbridges
Search Master
Joined: 19 May 2008
Posts: 1381
Location: Bryan Texas
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| Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:02 am Post subject: |
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| I cannot explain it. Pipes are mostly undated. And to frustrate collectors even more, rarely are published DG pipe brochures, pamphlets, and ads dated. We have made some headway, mostly because of postal stampings and dealer notations. |
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ted
"Old Timer"
Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 1171
Location: NC'
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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Sir Duke.....I'm not sure that I can explane it, but I'll try.
Grabow and S.M. Frank were the only folks that made pipes for the WWII servicemen that came back. We, nor Frank ever.....EVER...anticipated that our "stuff" would be collectable. Even during my 25 years, no-one ever gave a thought of "collectability". We were too busy trying to "keep up" to think about this miniscule part of our smokers.
20-20 hindsite, Wish we had. I told you once....Wish I had stamped every pipe I made....TED....1985(eg).....Might be solvent today.
In 25 years, I never heard a mention of collectability....Would you collect "Bic" pens?..Would you collect "penny loafers"? Grabow (and Kaywoodie) pipes were meant to be "used up", and thrown away. Thank GOD some survived, but that wasn't the intention...
Grabow did stamp numbers (shape) on many high-grade pipes, but that only lasted till the business slowed down...Shape numbers give no indication as to date.
OK.....Linkman...Lavietes...Grabow.....Fish......Martin.....Douglas.......are laughing at us today.........GRIND ON poor subjects..grind on.....ted |
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Sir Duke
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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I do collect Bics! LOL
but going forward.... maybe they could date them..
where's the harm? |
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Mike Leverette
Golden Duke
Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 88
Location: Macon, Georgia
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| Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| ted wrote: | | Grabow and S.M. Frank were the only folks that made pipes for the WWII servicemen that came back. We, nor Frank ever.....EVER...anticipated that our "stuff" would be collectable. Even during my 25 years, no-one ever gave a thought of "collectability". |
Ted
This sounds interesting. Have I missed a discussion? If I have not, could you please expound on this? Thanks.
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Happy puffing
Mike |
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Texhealer
Silver Duke
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 44
Location: The garden spot of West Texas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Along this line...kinda, I just won an older saddle bit pot on ebay, and was wondering. Do we know when or why the logo was moved from the top of the stem to the side? I have several with the logo on top and have always assumed that ment they were older.
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Never try to teach a pig to sing, It won't work...and it annoys the pig. |
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ted
"Old Timer"
Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 1171
Location: NC'
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| Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Mike Leverette wrote: | | ted wrote: | | Grabow and S.M. Frank were the only folks that made pipes for the WWII servicemen that came back. We, nor Frank ever.....EVER...anticipated that our "stuff" would be collectable. Even during my 25 years, no-one ever gave a thought of "collectability". |
Ted
This sounds interesting. Have I missed a discussion? If I have not, could you please expound on this? Thanks. |
Mike....From the late 40's (after the war) for about 17 years S.M.Frank (the king) and Grabow (the wannabe) were the two biggest producers of pipes in the universe. Even in 66' , when I started ,we were making up to 600 gross (that's about 85,000) pipes a week, and we were only about 2/3 of the SMF production. For a feeble explanation....increase 85,000 by 1/3 for SMF production, and the add Grabow's to it.....That turns into 10,000,000 pipes a year.
As with WWII VETS, lots of pipe smokers have been dying. Certainly not a wish, only a statement. I play golf with a WWII VET, and he could be on the Senior tour. He's 92.
From my father.....in North Africa....Once a week we got a pack of CAMELS, and a bag of GEORGE WASHINGTON tobacco. The Camels only lasted a few days, but we were constantly looking for pipes.........These guys were the creators of the "baby boom".
Pipe smoking, and lots of other "stuff" dies with our VETS......ted..... |
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steverino
Golden Duke
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
Posts: 787
Location: Piedmont North Carolina
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:44 am Post subject: |
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| ted wrote: | | Pipe smoking, and lots of other "stuff" dies with our VETS......ted..... |
Wow. That's about the most profound statement I've heard concerning pipes. I expect it's true. My dad was a WWII vet and he passed in 1999. He was not much of a smoker at all and I never saw him smoke a pipe, so there's one example of where pipe smoking did not get passed down from father to son, yet I did, of course, eventually take it up anyway. My maternal grandfather was something of a pipe smoker (though mostly cigarettes) and may have had some influence. But back to the topic (sorry).
It is easy for us to look back now and wonder why the manufacturers didn't date the pipes, and ted's explanation certainly makes sense - because they were intended to be disposable. However, then there is Dunhill. Thinking along the lines of pipes being disposable, why do you suppose Dunhill dated theirs? And I assume they still do, I haven't seen a recent one.
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