GBD's, Markings, and Makers

[Rob Novak]

I've seen more than one source claim the following:

Round "Made in London" stamp - Cadogan era
Metal rondelle - pre-Cadogan.

OK - I've got three GBD pipes. The first is a Straight Grain lovat,
that I have been reliably told is from the mid-70's, with a circular
"Made in..." stamp and brass rondelle. The next, a Supergrain bent
bulldog with a printed GBD logo on the stem, and a straight "London
England" stamping. The last is a largish International bulldog with
both a metal rondelle and straight "London England" stamp.

So - three different combinations, two of which are supposedly
incongruous. Any ideas?

[G. L. Pease]

Post by Rob Novak
Round "Made in London" stamp - Cadogan era
Metal rondelle - pre-Cadogan.
OK - I've got three GBD pipes. The first is a Straight Grain lovat,
that I have been reliably told is from the mid-70's, with a circular
"Made in..." stamp and brass rondelle. The next, a Supergrain bent
bulldog with a printed GBD logo on the stem, and a straight "London
England" stamping. The last is a largish International bulldog with
both a metal rondelle and straight "London England" stamp.
So - three different combinations, two of which are supposedly
incongruous. Any ideas?

Alas, the metal rondelle's presence is not truly an indication of
pre-merger GBDs. During the beginning of the decline, they were painting
the logo on, but in later days, they used the rondelle - on some pipes.

The round Made in London is both an indication of a later era piece (not
the fact that this is the same stamping as Comoy have used for many
years), AND a mistruth, as the pipes are actually made on the Isle of
Man.

The Straight Grain is a newer appelation, and examples do exist from the
"old days," but your round origin stamping indicates a later pipe,
probably from the mid-eighties or later. The International is certainly
the oldest of the three, and that with the painted GBD was made somewhere
between the two - probably. The Super Grain was not as high a grade as
the Straight Grain (despite the fact that the Straight Grain pipes almost
always have fills), and they probably used the painted logo on most of
the line for a longer time.

After the merger of GBD, Comoy, Orlik, BBB, Loewe, the only difference
between the pipes is the stain and the stamping. They're produced in the
same shapes. I suspect the painted logos were a way to cut costs still
further. Perhaps the factory began using the earlier style logos as a
result of customer complaints. When the "C" or the "GBD" rubs off, it's a
little annoying.

"Cadogan Era" is a little misleading, though I've used the term quite a
bit. Cadogan investments have been involved in GBD for decades, in fact,
though they kept their hands off the production in the "good old days." I
don't know precisely when they acquired the other brands.

-glp

[Martin Farrent]

"Cadogan Era" is a little misleading...

I've taken to using the term 'Southend era' for GBD, Loewe, Orlik etc.

Best,

Martin

www.pfeifenbox.de

[Premal Chheda]

Hello Rob,

The earlier models tend to have a better finish and grain, and the stems are
usually hand cut. I have seen the straight London England stamping on some
of the newer models. Cadogan has been owned by the Adler family the 1950's
or earlier. John Adler Sr. is the person who kept GBD pipes up to quality
until the late 1970's when his son John Adler took over. The grandson
Michael Adler is now in charge of the company.

Regards,
Premal Chheda
Smokers' Haven
www.smokershaven.com

Post by Rob Novak
Round "Made in London" stamp - Cadogan era
Metal rondelle - pre-Cadogan.
OK - I've got three GBD pipes. The first is a Straight Grain lovat,
that I have been reliably told is from the mid-70's, with a circular
"Made in..." stamp and brass rondelle. The next, a Supergrain bent
bulldog with a printed GBD logo on the stem, and a straight "London
England" stamping. The last is a largish International bulldog with
both a metal rondelle and straight "London England" stamp.
So - three different combinations, two of which are supposedly
incongruous. Any ideas?
--
Rob on the Web: http://rob.rnovak.net

[Smoketalk]

It goes back enven further. Adolphe Oppenheimer's brother-in-law was Louis
Adler....the Adlers have been around GBD as long as Oppenheimer, therfore...ie
latter 1800's

Scott