| Archive for Dr. Grabow Pipes "America's One and Only" |
| Dave |
Dr Grabow SupremeI won this on eabay the other day and it got here todaySome were interested about the numbers and the type of wood it was made from http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....4322&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT On the left of the shank in is written DR GRABOW SUPREME in capital letters on the right side of the shank is 9902 and looks like uka in script which is hard to see There is a propeller on the top of the stem which is vulcanite The stinger looks to be made of a wood of some sort it has a circular grain on both sides of the bowl and on the bottom I hope I described it okay im not very good at it I dont have a digital camera and it would take some time for film to be developed so sorry for no closeups |
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| LokoMac8 |
Re: Dr Grabow Supreme
I kinda figured it wasn't a 9992! Now I don't feel so bad not bidding on it. As far as the "uka", I suspect it should be part of the "Pre-Smoked" script stamping. Some of them have "REG. U.S. PAT. OFF." in block letters below that.
I have found two different types on these pipes. They seem solid yellow, so I assumed it's some sort of plastic. The first type, sort of emulates the metal cleaner design. It's sort of funny they went to the trouble: 
The second type doesn't emulate anything! I don't know which came first, and since they are not metal, their effectiveness is sort of dubious. The one below DEFINITELY doesn't work. I only have ONE like it: 
Most of the pipes that had these that I have found either had them removed, or they broke at the very weak threaded joint where they actually screwed into the stem.
You did GREAT! We all learn a little bit more with descriptions like this. When it comes to light stampings, they are just plain hard to read -- and it makes for some humorous listing descriptions by sellers. It helps a little to know what the stamping should have been and what it looks like. I often ask sellers to look at the numbers again, usually suggesting what I am pretty sure it SHOULD be. Armed with that, they usually get a better reading off of it. The numbers are a little "fancy" with a extra bit of curl, so 3s, 6s, 8s, 9s and sometimes even 2s and 5s are easily mistaken for other numbers. Thanks for taking the time to "report" on your acquisition! There is something about these plastic banded pipes that intrigues me and I pick up almost everyone I come across. A few get away, though! --RJ-- |
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| Dave |
it does have this below the numbers REG. U.S. PAT. OFF." in block letters
The stinger is like the first pic and Im sure the numbers are 9902 looks like they were stamped over whatever was written with the UKA so not sure what the uka would be lol I just hope that the description might help someone that finds one like it For me finding an old pipe in great shape makes me feel like a kid in a candy store I love finding then smoking them They seem to smoke better than any new pipe |
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| LokoMac8 |
Same here! --RJ-- |
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| Codger |
Nice pipe. How did I miss that seeing that one? Oh well - at least it's getting a good home. Enjoy. | ||||||
| Flycruiser |
Re: Dr Grabow Supreme
Did they stop using the metal stingers because of WWII? |
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| drbridges |
Yes, that seems to be the logical assumption. Remember around this time (1943) pennies were made from steel. Copper and aluminum and rubber were short in supply. | ||||||
| LokoMac8 |
Aluminum became highly coveted for building aircraft, especially since wood and fabric was giving way to solid metal bodies and wing construction. Even if the aluminum had been available, I imagine their supplier of these aluminum fittings was probably too busy building war materiels anyway to make any pipe fittings. Poor Linkman had to suspend making his HOLLYCOURT line altogether as it's whole reason for being was in the construction -- and that amounted to a METAL PIPE being sheathed in briar. So the Hollycourt "went to war" as the ads put it. Took a while to figure out exactly what was meant by that. --RJ-- |
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| ted |
Speaking of Hollycourt....
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Adver...VI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26ps%3D6 |
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| Rev. Avery |
That's really great Dave. Wish I had bid on it now! Happy for you. | ||||||
| LokoMac8 |
Re: Dr Grabow Supreme
Below is an example why I like collecting Dr. Grabows and why I find it exciting even. Just when I think that I have seen about all there is to see and know about all that can be found, along comes something NEW! The following photos are of an unsmoked old Dr. Grabow with the yellow plastic band, placing it in the 1942-44 catagory. It also came with a box and the paper insert in the box. The pipe has an odd grain (mountain laurel?), but is quite attractive -- as a matter of fact, as it is turned in the light it almost takes on a hollographic, 3D effect. Never had one that looked like that. Obviously, the bowl was Pre-Smoked in the Dr. Grabow fashion, but ALSO had a thick carbon lining (yes, they did it back then, too, apparently). I am very sure the pipe was never smoked because the cleaner in the stem is not only absolutely clean, but has some plastic "flashing" left from the drilling and shaping! It DOES appear like someone reamed out some of the carbon lining, though. 
Now to the point. What makes this pipe noteworthy? Well, it blew me away to find the cleaner not only intact and in pristine condition, but rather than the YELLOW I was accustomed to, it is WHITE. The band is definitely yellow. So here's another variation. It is very unlike me, but THIS pipe is one of the very few that will remain unsmoked in my collection. --RJ-- |
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| ozark southpaw |
Don't blame you Mac,I would not smoke it either!! I have two of the yellow banded pipes and one thing I have noticed is that neither one show ANY birdeye. | ||||||
| LokoMac8 |
That's true. It's not tight when it does have some. Just a couple more of the things that makes my believe that it's "domestic briar" of some sort. When the briar shortages (which could have actually started several years BEFORE our entry into WWII as shipping and other things were being affected in the Mediterranean area at least by 1939) hit and as the pipe makers huge inventories of briar dwindled, they were ventually forced to do several things. Among them were to dig through there culls, discard piles and trash to find usable briar they had passed over and another was to look at various domestic woods to use as a replacement. What makes me think these old Grabows may be domestic wood, for one thing, is that the smooth pipes I have DO NOT HAVE ANY FILLS! This just does not seem to be old briar with defects. Although the graining is a bit strange looking, in all, it is without defects and is actually attractive in its own way, whether it be the odd patterns or the mottled/marbled/cloudy look of some of it. I would think the less attractive pieces of domestic briar, as well as the less-than-desireable briar, were probably utilized for carved pipes and very darly stained pipes, where fills and defects were not so obvious. It always seems to me like those pipes are lighter, too, but that could be both my overactive imagination, and the fact there are no metal fitments in the pipe to give it added weight. Maybe one day we will find something out for certain, but until that time arrives I just marvel at these old pipes -- AND SMOKE THEM. --RJ-- |
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| ozark southpaw |
FILLS!! That is something I did not notice! Neither of my pipes have any fills !! And they do seem to be light weight! Among the pipes that Ted sent to me is an older Medico. It doesn't look like briar either and is very light,although it does have aluminum fittings. |
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