It identifies the date of this Peterson’s pipe to 2001.I knew that I was dealing with a pipe that the hallmarks date to 2001. This is the short story of a small, pencil-shanked shape that’s peculiarly Irish yet rarely seen, even in the Peterson catalog. The shape’s name seems to depend on what type of stem is attached to the end of the bowl—zulu, churchwarden or dublin. Victory Pipes is home to many iconic brands; here we welcome you to the world of Peterson of Ireland craftsmanship, where elegance and dedication to quality go hand in hand.
The second stamp is a crowned harp which is a fineness mark denoting the high quality of silver that was used. I have included a larger screen capture of the section on the third column of the chart in the photo below.I have drawn a red square around the date letter below. It identifies the date of this Peterson’s pipe to 2000.I knew that I was dealing with a pipe that the hallmarks date to 2000. Now it was time to learn a bit more about the Flame Grain Line. A bent brandy “setter,” like its sibling the B10 it seems to have originally appeared in the high-grade Rosslare Royal Irish line in 2003 and from there appeared in most every Peterson line.
Indeed, it is on this groundbreaking design that the worldwide reputation of Peterson rests. During the last hundred years, Peterson has grown tremendously without losing sight of its original dedication to quality, handcrafted products at a reasonable price. Within a year, Frederick employed a young Latvian woodworker named Charles Peterson to help with production and repairs. I’ve chosen these as both are excellent aids in relaxation and contemplation through their effortless smoking qualities. However, the journey towards “Zen” through both has been quite different, and I think highlights how sometimes similar results can come from radically different paths. I’m a photographer, a bit of a writer, a radio amateur and a big pipe smoking enthusiast.
Our retail store and factory have moved locations and our ownership has changed hands over the decades. My quest for enlightenment is hindered by gurgling noises, and Peterson Systems do not produce such distractions. When I feel emptiness, I gravitate toward pleasantness, and few things produce pleasure as easily and thoroughly as a Peterson filled with Virginia flake. The humongous house pipe at left is not one that I smoke often, but it is actually one of my best smokers.
Pipes, tobacco, wine, and other fermented items are truly one of the great partnerships between God and Man. God created the briar, the leaf, the grape, the yeast and the grain. We take these items and turn them into things that can be used for our enjoyment and enlightenment. Once my pipe is chacom tobacco pipes lit I focus on nothing more than the sounds of nature and my smoking cadence.
Although Alfred and Fredrick Kapp would both be involved in the company, making it a multi-generational effort, it would be Charles Peterson, from 1890 on, whose name was known in the pipe world. For Shannon Airport (c.d1947-c1983) – Stamp on shank of pipes in several grades, indicated that the pipe was designated to be sold by Duty Free Shops at the Shannon Airport. The stamping of Peterson’s Of Dublin is very broad and cannot really help pin down the date on the pipe. However, XL315 shape came out in chacom tobacco pipes 1998 so the pipe is definitely post 1998. I read further in “The Peterson Pipe” by Mark Irwin and Gary Malmberg to get some background on the Peterson’s Of Dublin pipes. Although you can get a Peterson from several places online, we ordered the Peterson System Standard Ebony (302) P-Lip from Smoking Pipes for $104.
The second set of seven different shapes was released under the title “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. Originally hired as a craftsman for high-end special order pipes, Charles Peterson distinguished himself over the years. By the time the sons of his original employers were grown he was able to buy out some of their shares and change the name of the company to Kapp & Peterson. Below, pictured from left to right is Charles Peterson and Alfred Kapp. The P-Lip mouthpiece was originally designed by Charles Peterson in 1865.
The next pipe that I selected to work on is a beautiful classic billiard shaped Peterson’s pipe with a P-lip tapered stem. The very appearance of this pipe shouted “ol’ timer” to me even before I saw the stampings. The size also indicated that this pipe was from an era when large bowl were not in vogue, specifically the English made.
It says that the pipes were issued as Kildare Patch with rusticated patches. However this one does not have the patches it is smooth around the bowl sides. It also has a silver band on the shank rather than a nickel one. In over 150 years now, Peterson has literally been “on everyone’s lips”. Politicians, writers, personalities from sports and political life, and even characters from fiction, regularly carry a Peterson pipe with them in their mouths. There is also a wide range of pipe tobacco and even cigars, and they are expanded every year.