| Archive for Dr. Grabow Pipes "America's One and Only" |
| LokoMac8 |
Dr. Grabow Pipe Advertising & InformationJust scanned the Dr. Grabow entry in the RTDA's 1970 Almanac. In 1969 they listed the MSR Prices, however, beginning apparently in 1970, they quite doing that, listing just the names. Makes it harder to date pipes and displays where the prices are shown, but as these times were somewhat inflationary, I guess they wanted to leave themselves some flexibility in pricing. Here's the 1970 lineup:
Also from that same Almanac, is the ONLY Dr. Grabow "ad" -- a very simple affair when compared to the ads of other pipe companies: 
As I get other RTDA Almanacs (they're scarce as hen's teeth and pricey when I find them) I'll pass alomg what I find as well. If any other folks have these Almanacs, perhaps they would be good enough to share the info from them as well. Surely SOMEONE has a nice collection of these? I think 1936 or 37 was when the RTDA Almanacs started, so nearly the whole "history" of Dr. Grabow pipes could be followed throught these entries and ads. --RJ-- |
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| ozark southpaw |
Interesting Mac! What do I have to do to get one of Dr.Grabow displays at no charge? | ||||||
| LokoMac8 |
Become an outlet for Grabows and order the display and pipes? --RJ-- |
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| LokoMac8 |
64th Edition, 2000, Tobacco Retailers' Almanac, RTDAI finally secured another issue of the RTDA Almanac and scanned some of the pertinent Dr. Grabow info from it. This Almanac is much BIGGER than earlier issues I have and seems to be the result of more cigar stuff and more full-page ads. The info is disappointing compared to earlier issuesw, as there seemed to be no room for all the tobacco facts and figures and true "Almanac" facts that they used to have in it.With Dr. Grabow pipes now being under the umbrella of LANE, there no longer is a separate entry for Dr. Grabows, and none of the usual Dr. Grabow "ads" they would be in the publication. 
We don't learn much about the Dr. Grabow pipes or the prices they sold for, but we do have a list of line names and even an indication of what was non-filter at that time. We also might have a glimpse, through the heading LANE PROMOTIONAL PIPES, of where all those "anomolies" we find came from. No telling what was produced, cobbled together and sold under this banner! 
The above scan showing the listing of Dr. Grabow shows several retailer's, OTHER THAN LANE, also handling Dr. Grabow pipes. About all you find under those other outlets listing is the name "DR. Grabow Pipes" as one of the products they handle. So there you have it. These RTDA Almanacs are found few and far between and a bit pricey when they are found, but every once in awhile I latch on to one. They ARE INTERESTING, but really all I am after is the Dr. Grabow info in them and as I get that, you'll see it posted on the DGCF! --RJ-- |
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| ted |
RJ, A couple of things come to mind. There were 2 national associations for the tobacco industry. One, the RTDA (Retail Tobacco Distributore Assn.) was geared more toward the retail end of the business. Grabow was a member and participated in the advertising but very seldom participated in the trade shows.
The NATD (National Association of Tobacco (and Candy later) Distributors was where Grabow placed their emphasis. We always advertised in the US Tobacco Journal which was the monthly magazine of the NATD and always participated in the NATD trade show. Grabow sponsored the "Tobacco Industry Hall of Fame" at the annual NATD trade show, always gave away 2 poodles, and was a big part of the association. From about 1963 till the late 70's the NATD show alternated years between Las Vegas and Miami Beach. Maybe it's time to post the LEGACY website again? I think NATD....US Tobacco Journal (although that gets confused with UST)....Hall of Fame might be search options. When you find a NATD almanac on LEGACY it's usually 150 pages on ACROBAT and is just so cumberson it's hard to keep focus. For what it's worth....ted |
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| ozark southpaw |
Re: 64th Edition, 2000, Tobacco Retailers' Almanac, RTDA
RJ,got a date on this? Wondering because I see in the Grabow pipe listing they show a "Laser". I assume those are the pipes with the Deer and Eagles on them. First year for them? |
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| LokoMac8 |
Re: 64th Edition, 2000, Tobacco Retailers' Almanac, RTDA
The year of 2000 . . . |
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| LokoMac8 |
It's worth a LOT! I just haven't had the time to explore the Legacy website much. I should , I guess, caused that's FREE! Everything else I seem to do costs money, but little of that I have, I have more of it than time on my hands . . . --RJ-- |
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| ted |
RJ, I'll do some looking on Legacy. If I find a page I'll just post the year and the link....ted | ||||||
| LokoMac8 |
That would be great! I only want the Grabow info, of course, but that would save me a lot of looking -- and yes, getting distracted looking at everything else. I had trouble putting the 2000 RTDA Almanac down as I looked at all the cigars -- which seemed to be the main reason that issue was a lot thicker than the old one -- lots more cigars! --RJ-- |
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| Rev. Avery |
Under the Grabow listings in the bigger issue, the first one is Big Pipe. Was that the name of a pipe or the style? | ||||||
| ted |
Rev.....sorry for this answer...but....Both....ted | ||||||
| Rev. Avery |
Thanks Ted. I hope to see one sometime. | ||||||
| ted |
There are a few pictures in the gallery. Filter "big pipe". The dublin was bought on our Grabow tour and was a nice one....ted | ||||||
| Terry292 |
Rev, the lighter colored pipe in this picture is a Big Pipe:  The one in front is an unmarked pipe, also made by IPAL. I bought both in July during our tour of the Grabow factory.
Terry |
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| Rev. Avery |
Thanks Ted. Never thought about looking in the gallery.
Thank you Terry for the picture. So, why is it the big pipe? Is the bowl bigger and holds more? Is it longer? Filtered, non-filtered? How does it smoke? (Probably a dumb question, right?  )
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| Rev. Avery |
Just saw a couple Big Pipes on eBay for sale in the package. The package says it's a bigger bowl for a longer smoke.  Terry , yours is nicer looking than the two on eBay right now. I like yours.
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| LokoMac8 |
Don't feel like The Lone Ranger! It was only recently that Ed or someone told me how to find it and I finally got around to looking around in it. I saw some pictures I had never seen (like TED with the heads of Burley) and then finally found the thread I missed on that! --RJ-- |
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| LokoMac8 |
As TED said somewhere else, you just have to go to the factory and see what they have locked up in those cases! They picked out some nice stuff to display there and what we bought was sure a cut above what I have seen offered in those blister packs as of late. For one thing, I like the lighter finishes (as you could tell from the photos of what I bought) that I NEVER see in blister packs, and there was a good selection of those. As a matter of fact, I was giving Terry the evil eye when he picked his Big Pipe from the display, but fortunately, Robert went somewhere back in the bowels of the factory and was able to find me another one that wasn't on display. If you can't make it to the factory, maybe you could use my photos of the display on the Shutterfly site, and work with the office girl at the factory to make a selection of one of those special pipes through email/mail. I bet they would do it for you! If not, TED might be persuaded to run by there and get one for you -- better hurry on that though as I think he's about to head out for warmer climes in Florida for the winter. --RJ-- |
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| Rev. Avery |
RJ, I'd love to tour the factory someday. Being in AZ I don't think we'll be heading that way for some time though. But, the suggestion to talk with the girl at the factory is a really a good idea. Have you smoked the Big Pipe yet? If you have (or when you) do let me know what you think, please. | ||||||
| ted |
Rev...If you call the factory, ask for Denise Osborne and tell her that Tom Douglas suggested that you call her. Ask for a natural finish (if that's what you want) Big pipe in whatever shape you want. I think Robert Roten can find one of about anything. RJ has sent him enough hats for at least one "industrial strength bribe".
I'm in FL. today, will come home, turn around and bring my wife and dog back next week. I'd love to help you, but my time in NC is getting too hectic. I'll do anything I can for you after April......ted |
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| BWThomas |
ted, is Robert a hat collector? | ||||||
| Rev. Avery |
Thank you Ted for giving me the information. I appreciate it.
My youngest son is moving from FL back to NH tomorrow. My wife's parent's lived in Titusville for 25 years. I loved the Titusville are. It was fun going to the beach there. You could see the Space Shuttle sitting on the lauch pad. Of course, as it got real close to launch time they closed the beach. My father-in-law designed the hold down apparatus/hydraulics for the shuttle. He got to eat with one of the crew from the earlier shuttle launches. Thanks again for the info. |
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| Terry292 |
Yes, he is. When we were at the factory in July, R.J. gave him the DGCF hat right off his own head. Robert appeared to be tickled "pink." He probably has the only DGCF hat at the factory. Rev, I have 3 Big Pipes, the one pictured, one dark carved apple/billiard, and one dark smooth apple/billiard. I like the looks of the dublin best, but all three smoke great. And, yes, they are filter pipes. According to our tour guide, Frank, the Big Pipes are not Dr Grabows, although they're made in the Sparta facility. I never thought to ask him why that might be. Terry |
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| BWThomas |
I don't have any Big Pipes, and I think that maybe I need to get some. I've got a Savinelli Deluxe 101, this looks to be the same size as a Grabow Big Pipe, identical shape. The pipe shank is almost a full 7/8" in diameter...is that the size of the shank on your Big Pipes Terry? | ||||||
| ted |
As Terry said, RJ gave him the hat off his head and then sent him about 50 more. Look up "hat collector" in Noah Webster and there is a picture of Robert. He married my cousin and brags about a hat (Stetson) he inherited from my Uncle. A well placed "bribe" would be an asset to the Forum......Thanks....ted |
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| BWThomas |
C'mon ted, you know I wasn't even thinkin' that way...last thing on my mind, I had to look that word up in the dictionary, I didn't even know what you were sayin'! |
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| ted |
Want his address??????? Phone number????? Hat size?????.
Seriously, Robert is the Foreman over the Finished Goods and Shipping Dept. and a super nice fellow to go along with it. He wants to sell pipes even if it is one at a time. Maybe he needs to "run" the place....ted |
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| Terry292 |
Barry, that's the approximate size. The bowls on all three are about 2", and the outside diameter of the bowl is about 1.5". I tend to smoke these pipes when I'm working outside or driving. At those times, I like to have a pipe I can "fill on Sunday and smoke 'til Tuesday." The Big Pipes fit that description exactly. Terry |
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| Rev. Avery |
"I like to have a pipe I can "fill on Sunday and smoke 'til Tuesday." The Big Pipes fit that description exactly."
That sounds like a good pipe 
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| BWThomas |
Sounds like a man who needs a new hat! |
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| ted |
BW, I'd say handing one to him would work better. RJ, Terry, Steve Don't you agree"?
Now you know his name.....ted |
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| LokoMac8 |
Old Ads
Yes -- and I would have lot rather handed him all those caps in that box just to see his face! From time to time, I get a moment -- in this case about two hours -- to do some more surfing and looking for Dr. Grabow info and advertisements. Looked into Google books again and found some interesting things. The most exciting, for me, was learning of the existence of two early LINKMAN'S DR. GRABOW ads in the years of 1933 and 1935, and oddly enough, in railroad related employee magazines. Really wish I could see the WHOLE ads! As it is, when I did find a whole ad, I couldn't figure out any way to save the image to the archives. One positive thing was that I was better able to date a couple of the full page ads that I do have and pin down the publication (which is usually LIFE, which never seem to print the magazine name or the date on their pages!) All this just sort of helps fine tune things that miuch more. --RJ-- http://books.google.com/books?id=...age&q=dr%20grabow&f=false Old Linkman's Dr. Grabow Ad, The MIlwaukee Road Magazine, 1935!!!!: http://books.google.com/books?id=...r+grabow&dq=dr+grabow&lr= Even older, from the Santa Fe Magazine, 1933 -- hints at brochure one may write for!!!: http://books.google.com/books?id=...r+grabow&dq=dr+grabow&lr= And most of the time, you just cannot see quite enough -- this is interesting having to do with a claim: Trade regulation reporter, Volume 2 - Page 6656 Commerce Clearing House - Business & Economics - 1948 Representing that Dr. Grabow pipes will not bite and have no bitter taste was discontinued in Stip. 7897. Advertising that the absorbent filters used in its Another tantilizing sample: Catalog of copyright entries - Page 306 Law - 1941 13011 Dr. Grabow, the pre-smoked pipe. For pipe. © Nov. 16, 1940; KK 2277. Lone Ranger, inc., Detroit. 13012 Life of Tonto, chap. no. ... Little tidbits of history: The State - Page 10 North Carolina - 1981 Dr. Grabow Pre- Smoked Pipes' Greensboro office will be moved to the Sparta plant around March I, 1982. ANSON Anson County commissioners took preliminary ... Lots of great stuff, but you just can't see the meat of it!: American slogans: the world's greatest collection of slogans and phrases (13 ... - Page 244 William Sunners - Business & Economics - 1949 - 345 pages Ripe 'n' ready for smokin' steady (Dr. Grabow Pipe Co.). She likes the fragrance (Sutliff Tobacco Co.). Sign of a good cigar, The (United Cigar Stores Co.). ... |
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| steverino |
Yes - it's got to be a hands-on, face to face thing. Then you can get your "hands on" some of those pipes. |
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| BWThomas |
I got the message. It'll be face to face. Unfortunately, I can't get down there during the week until January...gives me a chance to build up the PAD fund. |
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| steverino |
And that's a good idea because you will definitely want to make use of that PAD fund. |
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