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.
Peterson Briar PipesPeterson pipes have a rich history dating back to 1865 when Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp, German immigrants, founded the Kapp Brothers store on Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland. Shortly after, Charles Peterson, a Latvian immigrant, joined the Kapp brothers, bringing his innovative ideas and craftsmanship to the company. This partnership led to the formation of Kapp & Peterson Ltd. I looked for the pipe on Pipephil and online and was not able to find any verification for who made the pipe for Peterson’s. I suppose that I will never know for sure but it appears that the pipe was made on the Isle of Man for export for another European pipe company. I am guessing that this one came from the time period of the late 60s or early 70s.
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 1998 so captain black tobacco 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.
Pipes, tobacco, wine, and other fermented items are truly one of the great partnerships between God and Man. God created peterson pipes 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 lit I focus on nothing more than the sounds of nature and my smoking cadence.
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 captain black tobacco 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.
From the chart above that identified it as having been made in 1994 – at least the band was! Yesterday a friend stopped by with a pipe he wanted me to have a look at and “spruce up” for him. He arrived in the heat of the day just before 5pm which is when it seems to be the hottest time here in Vancouver. He took the pipe out of his back pack and it was in the classic green Peterson of Dublin bag. He told me that he had picked it up at the Peterson’s shop in Dublin when he was there.