Tobacco Smoking: Peterson Pipes

I wanted to know what I was dealing with so I examined the faint stamping on the smooth panel on the underside of the shank. It read Peterson [arched over] OF DUBLIN [arched over] PIPE OF THE YEAR. There was no other stamping on the shank – no shape number and no year! It was stamped on the top and read Peterson [over] Dublin. On the underside it was stamped Peterson over three hallmarks – Hibernia seated (on the left) followed by 925 in an oval followed by an italic upper case “I”. The Hibernia stamp identified it as made in Ireland, the 925 stamp was the quality of the silver and the italic I was the year.

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 the pipe is definitely post 1998. I read further in “The Peterson Pipe” by Mark Irwin and Gary Malmberg to get some background on chacom tobacco pipes 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.

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 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.

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.

We also have a huge selection of Savinelli Pipes, Rattray’s Pipes and pipe tobacco. Peterson pipes, made in Ireland, provide the pipe smoker with a wide selection of briars. Most Peterson pipe models are available with either a standard, traditional stem (called a “fishtail”) or the famous Peterson “p-lip”, which directs the smoke toward the roof of your mouth to reduce the chance of burning your tongue. While crafting quality, innovative tobacco pipes has been central to our brand, we understand the importance of possessing smoking accessories of the same calibre. From pipe pouches to rustic tampers and sleek lighters, our accessories complement our tradition of craftsmanship, each tailored to pair elegantly with our pipes.

He continued to develop the pipes he made and applied for numerous patents, which were even awarded industry prizes. After Peterson died in 1919, the descendants of the Kapps remained company owners for the next several decades. It was not until the 1970s that there were upheavals in the company’s history, when new buyers acquired the traditional company, which had been owned by Tom Palmer, an Irishman, from the 1990s until 2016.

A Peterson pipe isn’t just a utilitarian tool; it’s a piece of history you can carry with you in your travels, a faithful companion to accompany you through all that life offers. The story of Peterson begins in England in the mid-19th century when the two German immigrants Georg and Friedrich Kapp opened peterson pipes a meerschaum pipe shop in London in 1865. There he met the young Lithuanian immigrant Karl Christoph Peterson, who as a craftsman had developed a knack for making pipes. Frederick hired this man, who from then on specialized in making bespoke pipes. Not only was Peterson a man of action, he was also smart.

It has a metal wind cap over a rim cap as well as a shank cap and ferrule to hold the carved Cherry wood stem with a horn end, flexible hose portion and horn stem. It is dirty and scratched but every kilometer of its journey can be seen in the bowl and shank of the pipe. The stem has a horn end and horn mouth piece with a flexible hose portion in the middle that is in quite good condition. The photos below show the pipe from a variety of angles and close up views.