For System Day 2019—which is today, September 3rd—it being the 121st anniversary of the final patent of Charles Peterson’s celebrated pipe, I wanted to do something special, and this is the first installment: a complete guide to Peterson’s production System shapes from 1896 to 2019.
I’ve been mad about movies since I bought my first film projector, a Kodak M64 8/Super 8 back in the early 1970s, and to this day I sometimes drive my wife crazy when, after watching a Blu-ray on Friday night, I immediately want to watch all the deleted scenes and bonus features. Well, one of the “deleted scenes” from the Peterson book was an annotated guide to the System shapes. At the time, some folks thought the book was already getting a bit out of hand and that this kind of information would take up too many pages and be so detail-oriented that only the geekiest of Pete Freeks would be interested. I’m hoping that you might be one of those odd birds.
Before getting started, let me say that our book is over half-way through its print run, and as it’s unlikely to be reprinted please give some thought to whether you’d like to add it to your reference library. Every week I get a handful of questions about Peterson, and while I enjoy answering them, nearly all have already been answered in the book.
Insofar as the P-Lip System is concerned, the book contains detailed analyses on what makes a Peterson a System pipe (it must have a P-Lip graduated bore mouthpiece and a reservoir in the stummel); on the benefits of self-awareness in choosing a shape by chamber size and finish; on the care and performance of the System; on “Sub-Systems” and how they worked (Peterson no longer makes them); and on the “aspirational tiers” from Standard, nickel-mount pipes (which were originally 3rd grade) to Supreme gold mounts (which you’ll probably never see). But you won’t find a visual guide to all the production System shapes from 1896 to 2019, but never fear, here it is!
System Shapes & Shape Names from the 1955 Tri-Fold Brochure
In what follows, I’ve given what we’ll call “average” measurements, because by its very nature briar, when combined with the variables of craftsmanship, can cause subtle variations. Measurements, especially of chambers, can vary a few millimeters, especially over the decades some of these shapes have been made. The fact that bowls were sometimes turned in the Peterson factory in Dublin, sometimes in the small Peterson factory in London and sometimes outsourced has also caused variations. But with the exceptions noted below, Charles Peterson’s original 1896 shapes are close and sometimes identical to 2019 shapes.
Many of the photos are courtesy Smokingpipes.com, but they’re from 2012, when Systems were still made with vulcanite and still adhered to traditional bending techniques, instead of acrylic mouthpieces, which have become, since their introduction, steadily less bent. Charles Mundungus has provided photos of rare shapes, or shapes that need special explanation.
The 300 Series
I’ll begin with the 300 shape group numbers, since they’re what most Pete Freeks are familiar with, but cross-reference numbers for De Luxe and Classic Range issues are included, as well previous catalog numbers and a few notes on what to expect and what to avoid, if possible.
This 1981 sterling-mount STAR System shows just how awesome
a 301 can be when the mouthpiece is visually balanced and correctly bent.
301 Short Dutch Billiard [Bent Pot]. 1978-Present.
Length: 5.52 in. / 140.21 mm.
Weight: 1.60 oz. / 45.36 g.
Bowl Height: 1.78 in. / 45.21 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.55 in. / 39.37 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.86 in. / 21.84mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.43 in. / 36.32 mm.
The 301short dutch (or pot) entered the System line along with the 302, 303, and original dublin-style 305 in the 1978 Peterson-Glass catalog as the first new System shapes since the Original Six were settled on in the 1930s.
Upon its release, the short dutch was simultaneously issued as a De Luxe System 1S, a Dunmore System 71, and the Classic Range 1. Not to be confused with the 1A dutch billiard in the 1906 catalog, the 301 is nevertheless a descendent, reflecting Charles Peterson’s love for straight-sided bent pipes.
From its introduction in 1978 until the 1990 catalog, the 301 was issued with a wide, horn-flared push stem, also issued on its Dunmore Unmounted Premier System cousin during the same period. This wide, extremely comfortable P-Lip gave the original 301 a very distinctive appearance and superior smoking quality and is to be preferred whenever found.
A 302 Spigot System (left) and SPD 2019 (right)
showing the two different bowls
302 Extra-Large Apple. 1978-Present.
Length: 5.75 in. / 146.05 mm.
Weight: 2.30 oz. / 65.20 g.
Bowl Height: 1.72 in. / 43.69 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.39 in. / 35.31 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.80 in. / 20.32 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.74 in. / 44.20 mm.
The 302 and its smaller, less jowly sibling the 303, first appeared in the 1978 Peterson-Glass catalog and were issued simultaneously as the De Luxe Systems XL2S (later 2S) and 3S, the Classic Range 02 / XL02 and 03, and in the Dunmore System as the 70 and 73. Peterson describes the 302 shape as “an extra-large apple” in the 1986 catalog and the 303 as a “medium apple.” If you look at this bowls closely, whether in new or vintage pipes, you’ll notice there are actually two shapes, one wider at the back and bottom of the shank and the other more rounded. This stems, I suspect, from outsourcing to two different bowl sources, as the difference is too great to be merely a sanding problem. In any event, I like and smoke both. The fat-bottom seems to have been the model for the Lestrade Sherlock Holmes, XL23. For both the 302 and 303, it’s worth seeking out the early-issue mouthpiece versions (pre-1990), some being quite short and some longer, but all possessing the wide saddle and the Comfort P-Lip.
303 Medium Apple. 1978-Present.
Length: 4.94 in. / 125.48 mm.
Weight: 1.70 oz. / 48.19 g.
Bowl Height: 1.54 in. / 39.12 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.16 in. / 29.46 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.77 in. / 19.56 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.60 in. / 40.64 mm.
See 302 above.
304 Medium Flat Bottom. 1991-Present.
Length: 4.54 in. / 115.32 mm.
Weight: 1.90 oz. / 53.86 g.
Bowl Height: 1.81 in. / 45.97 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.40 in. / 35.56 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.71 in. / 18.03 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.44 in. / 36.58 mm.
Shape 304 and its larger sibling the 306(b) first made their appearance in the 1991 Flat Bottom catalog brochure and retain their shape numbers for the Classic Range issues. The De Luxe System shape number for the 304 is the 20FB and for the 306(b) is 11FB. This was Paddy Larrigan’s second flat-bottom System design and original Peterson Pub Pipe (as Larrigan discusses in the book), the first being the Dunmore Premier System and is quintessentially Irish in its barrel aesthetic.
305(a) Bent Dublin. 1975-1984.
Length: 5.80 in. / 148 mm.
Weight: 1.20 oz. / 34 g.
Bowl Height: 1.80 in. / 45.86 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.45 in. / 36.88 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.78 in. / 20.00 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.38 in. / 33.98 mm.
The 305(a) bent dublin was one of four new System shapes launched in the 1978 Peterson-Glass catalog and is the most short-lived of all System shapes, although still seen fairly frequently on the estate market. It was replaced by the 305(b) calabash as early as 1984. It was simultaneously issued as the 5S De Luxe System, the 75 Dunmore System, and the 5 in the Classic Range, as well as appearing as a Spigot, the 05S. While the V-shaped bowl made for infrequent relights and was a great smoker, the shank was simply too thin to bore a properly-executed reservoir, and experienced System smokers complained it didn’t function correctly. It didn’t function at all.
(from the collection of Cheyen Lloyd; note the HM for 1975!)
XL305 / XL315(a) Bent Dublin. 1975-1984.
Length: 6.09 in. / 155 mm.
Weight: 1.85 oz. / 53 g.
Bowl height: 2.27 in. / 57.6 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.76 in. / 44.8 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.93 in. / 23.74 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.62 in. / 41.1 mm.
(Measurements given for the XL75 Dunmore)
The XL305 / XL315(a) bent dublin was the larger version of the 305(a) first illustrated in the 1978 catalog and was being replaced by the mid-1980s with the 305(b) calabash. It was simultaneously released as the XL5S De Luxe System and the XL75 Dunmore. The XL315 was a shape designation reserved for the American market. As the XL305a and XL315a, it featured the wide, comfortable horn-flare stem. This is quite a rarity on the estate market–in fact, before the one from Cheyen Lloyd’s collection seen above, I’ve never seen one, although I once companioned the Dunmore XL75.
This is the place to pause and remember that for purposes of documentation, both here on the blog and in the big Peterson book, the first year of a pipe’s issue is always taken from the ephemera and not the physical release date. That is to say, if you look at Cheyen’s pipe above, you’ll see its HM is for 1975, a full three years before any paper record of the shape exists. When you can document a physical pipe with a date different from the one given in the book or blog, do send me a note by email or in the comments so we can update the information.
305(b) Calabash. 1986-Present.
Length: 5.08 in. / 129.03 mm.
Weight: 1.90 oz. / 53.86 g.
Bowl Height: 1.93 in. / 49.02 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.64 in. / 41.66 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.71 in. / 18.03 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.36 in. / 34.54 mm.
The 305(b) first appears in the 1986 catalog alongside the 305(a), indicating a cross-over period of production. It was simultaneously released as the De Luxe System 5S, the Dunmore System 75 and the Classic Range 5 or 05. Sometimes erroneously called a bell shape, Peterson has always called it a calabash. (A 305(b) Premier with a 1984 hallmark has been documented, indicating an earlier availability of the shape, which should be kept in mind for all catalog shape dates.)
XL305(b) / XL315(b) Calabash. 1986-Present.
Length: 5.99 in. /152.15 mm.
Weight: 2.80 oz. / 79.38 g.
Bowl Height: 2.23 in. / 56.64 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.78 in./45.21 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.83 in./21.08 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.54 in./39.12 mm.
Paddy Larrigan in his interview during the summer of 2013 indicated that it was his idea to use the 305(b) calabash in a larger size to launch the Sherlock Holmes series in 1988. This became the Standard System XL305 / XL315 (American market), and was simultaneously released as the De Luxe System XL5S and the Dunmore System XL75.
306(a) XL Oom Paul. 1896-1937.
Length: 6.00 in. / 152.4 mm.
Weight: 2.15 oz. / 61.5 g.
Bowl Height: 2.13 in. / 54.25 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.86 in. / 47.26 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.77 in. / 19.73 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.34 in. 34.25 mm.
The 306(a) first appears in the 1896 catalog as shape 2. In the 1937 catalog the number reverts to describing only a 1st quality pipe, 306 being the number of a 2nd quality and 356 a third quality. The 356 is the most commonly seen of the three on the estate market.
After 1937 the shape was dropped from the catalog, although it probably continued in production for several years. Shape 02 (sometimes O2BB) in the Shamrock line, often with a System reservoir, was in production by the late 1940s and is a slimmer modification of the original 2, but retaining the same chamber dimensions.
306(b) Large Flat-Bottom. 1991-Present.
Length: 5.63 in. / 143.00 mm.
Weight: 2.20 oz. / 62.37 g.
Bowl Height: 1.95 in. / 49.53 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.49 in. / 37.85 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.79 in. / 20.07 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.46 in. / 37.08 mm.
See 304 above.
307 Extra-Large Billiard. 1896-Present.
Length: 6.08 in. / 154.43 mm.
Weight: 2.50 oz. / 70.87 g.
Bowl Height: 2.14 in. / 54.36 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.71 in. / 43.43 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.77 in. / 19.56 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.60 in. / 40.64 mm.
The 307 is an original Patent bent billiard-shape, shown in the 1896 catalog as shape 9. It has retained its original shape number in the De Luxe version, but was issued in the 1937 catalog as the 307 (2nd quality) / 357 (3rd quality). Since then, it has also appeared as the 9S and 9B (De Luxe), Dunmore System 78 (1978-1983), and the Classic Range 9BC (1940s-1950s) / XL90 (1980s-Present). The 9B dating from the 1940s-1960s (the De Luxe System with a tapered rather than saddle bit) is rarely seen on the estate market. There have been changes in the shape since the 1960s, all toward less “cheeking,” making earlier versions, when available, preferable to those wishing to get back to the first, classic iteration of the shape.
308 Large Chubby Billiard. 1896-1959.
Length: 6.26 in. / 159 mm.
Weight:1.90 oz. / 54 g.
Bowl Height: 1.87 in. / 47.57 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.46 in. / 37.13 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.75 in. / 19.02 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.52 in. / 38.60 mm.
The 308 is another original Patent shape, first seen in the 1896 catalog as shape 14. It was given the 308 shape number as a 2nd quality pipe in the 1937 catalog, where it was also available as a De Luxe (14S) and 3rd quality (358). It officially dropped out of the catalog in 1959.[1] It is, incidentally, the shape which inspired the 1981 Mark Twain Commemorative. It is a pity that Peterson lost this shape with its cavernous mortise and reservoir, because it ranks among the best-smoking Systems ever made.
309 Large Bent Dutch. 1896-2013 [“The Thinking Man,” “The Basil Rathbone”].
Length: 5.23 in. / 132.84 mm.
Weight: 2.00 oz. / 56.70 g.
Bowl Height: 2.08 in. / 52.83 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.60 in. / 40.64 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.73 in. / 18.54 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.28 in. / 32.51 mm.
The 309 is an original Patent shape, first labeled shape 4 in the 1896 catalog as one of an octet of dutch billiards. By the 1937 catalog it had become the 4AB—the pipe Basil Rathbone smokes throughout much of his Sherlock Holmes series for Universal Studios—and the 309 (2nd quality) and 359 (3rd quality). It was released much later as the 339 and XL339 (slightly larger bowl, but same chamber dimensions) in the Classic Range. Always seen between the lips of the black and white drawing of the Thinking Man in its 4S dress, it remained a staple in the Peterson lineup until it was discontinued in 2013, although a few popped up in both the Derry Rustic and Arklow lines later on.
As I’ve said many times, for me this is the Peterson shape. I’ve included Charles Mundungus’s photo of a 309 STAR with the best bend I’ve ever seen on a 309, a 2010-hallmarked STAR I found in the Grafton Street shop in Dublin in 2013. It’s similar to the “rainbow bend” documented in the Peterson book, but moves the bent a little closer to the button and offers maximum comfort as well as a most striking profile. I’ve re-bent one or two other 309s to this shape with a heat gun and found it absolutely perfect–for me.
Not long ago I was in conversation with someone from the business side of pipes and tobaccos, who believes bends like this one and all others that give a bowl a 20 to 30 degree drop—result in an increased probability of burnout at the chamber’s air hole. As most of my favorite Petes—the John Bull 999, for example—have dropped bowls—it seemed to me like the weight of Peterson history is against the straightening of bent pipes, but there you go. Straightening them certainly results in heavier felt weight and a less pleasant smoking experience for those who like to clench. But as Brian Levine likes to say, everyone is an expert in their own opinion. And fortunately for many of us, the judicious application of a heat gun can transform an uncomfortable and ungainly Pete into one that that not only looks “K&P Classic,” but smokes it, as well.
312 Large Bent Billiard. 1896-Present.
Length: 5.69 in. / 144.53 mm.
Weight: 2.10 oz. / 59.53 g.
Bowl Height: 1.92 in. / 48.77 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.54 in. / 39.12 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.73 in. / 18.54 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.39 in. / 35.31 mm.
The 312 is one of four original Patent billiards, all the same shape but in different sizes. In the 1896 catalog was given shape 11. In the 1937 catalog, the shape appears in a 2nd Quality as number 312 and in 3rd Quality as 362. The latter was dropped before the Early Republic era, leaving the current De Luxe 11S and Standard-Premier 312 in continuous production. It also appeared as the Dunmore System 72 and is available in the Classic Range as slightly larger, chubbier X220. Earlier 312s have a taller bowl (usually about 2 mm or so) and fatter cheeking, giving them a more pronounced egg shape than current models, and while I admire it in all its iterations, holding an early 312 in the hand is a remarkable experience.
313 Medium Bent Dutch. 1896-Present.
Length: 4.94 in. / 125.48 mm.
Weight: 1.40 oz. / 39.69 g.
Bowl Height: 1.78 in. / 45.21 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.53 in. / 38.86 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.70 in. / 17.78 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.19 in. /30.23 mm.
The 313 is an original Patent dutch billiard bowl, pictured in the 1896 catalog as shape 8 and listed in the 1906 catalog as one of the small Patents. It was given its current shape number as a 2nd Quality pipe in the 1937 catalog, where it also appears as a 3rd Quality pipe with shape number 363. That catalog also gives shape number 8S to its De Luxe version, where it also appears as a Classic Range 2004B (K and 1st Quality) and 338 (Kapet and De Luxe). In the late 1970s it was released in the Dunmore System line as number 73.
314 Medium Bent Billiard. 1896-Present.
Length: 5.11 in. / 129.79 mm.
Weight: 1.70 oz. / 48.19 g.
Bowl Height: 1.71 in. / 43.43 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.52 in. / 38.61 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.71 in. / 18.03 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.42 in. / 36.07 mm.
The 314 is an original Patent System shape, pictured in the 1896 catalog as shape 20, next-to-smallest of eight “round or ball-shaped bowls.” It is not seen as a System pipe in the 1937 catalog, in favor of its Classic Range counterpart, the 221. Its first appearance in the De Luxe System, as shape 20S, is seen in the 1945 catalog. It was also included in the Dunmore System line in the late 1970s as the 74.
317 Small Bent Billiard. Small. 1896-Present.
Length: 4.87 in. / 123.70 mm.
Weight: 1.40 oz. / 39.69 g.
Bowl Height: 1.61 in. / 40.89 mm.
Chamber Depth: 1.35 in. / 34.29 mm.
Chamber Diameter: 0.66 in. / 16.76 mm.
Outside Diameter: 1.33 in. / 33.78 mm.
This is the smallest of the original Patent System shapes, illustrated in the 1896 catalog as shape 12½. It has retained the quaint 12½ number as a De Luxe System since the 1937 catalog, but is given the familiar 317 number as a 2nd Quality (Premier) and 367 or 3rd Quality (Standard, later dropped). It was issued in the Dunmore System line as shape 77, and in the Classic Range as the 230.
As per usual, many thanks to the folks at Smokingpipes
and to Charles Mundungus
Banner Demonstrator Illustration from the 1955 K&P Tri-Fold Brocchure
HAPPY SYSTEM DAY 2019!
Next: Part 2, Other System Shapes
[1] “Peterson’s Announce A Change in Their Celebrated System Bent Pipe Range,” advertisement, Tobacco World (May 1959), p. 79.
Thank you, Mark. Your systematicly work is for great value for all of us Pete-nuts who worship the history as much as the pipe itself 🙂
You’re welcome, Kjell. The history adds depth to enjoying the pipes, doesn’t it?
Absolutely. 🙂
Thank you!
Pleasure is mine, Steve. Happy System Day!
Thanks for this, I’m soaking it up like a sponge! I’m mad for system pipes and I’m looking forward to the next article.
You’re welcome, Erik! The 2nd part is really the most fun, although I love all the standard System shapes as well. Until next week–happy smokes!
Good morning, while reading I smoked an 11S and then an 20S.
Hmm, you’re 2 up on me, Jorgen. I can’t decide if it’s the 4S Supreme or a 308.
Another great post. I have been overseas for a while and just now going through your posts and catching up. I was unaware of your book. Do you have a link to order. Forgive me if I am just not seeing it. And thanks all of your time and effort to produce these posts. Much appreciated!
Thanks, Scott. Order direct from Briarbookspress.com or from Smokingpipes.com. Enjoy!
Happy System Day to you Mark and again thanks for the fine addendum. The Peterson Pipe Book is now filling the library as encyclopedia of Peterson Pipes. What wonderful documentation.
You’re welcome, sir. Looking forward to seeing you at the West Coast show.
Thanks for posting…. I love the book and this is a nice little “deleted scene” …. and I agree about the 308 shape …my recently acquired 358 is the best smoking system pipe in my collection
Fascinating, isn’t it? I wonder if it’s the relatively upright position of the reservoir, its width or depth or what? I say we begin lobbying for the return of the 308!
Happy SD to all! Love the work Mark! Like you I’m a huge fan of the 309/4S shape (missed out on your banner pipe ?) and would love to see it’s return. Today is windy so I’m smoking McClelland St. James Woods in a 313.
St. James Woods–does it get any better than that? I don’t think so. Happy SD to you, sir!
Very interesting Mark Thanks. I may have to close the day returning to my 20s that we spoke about, with some of the last bit of my favorite McClelland Blackwoods Flake . Man I wish i could find some of that somewhere!
Thanks, good sir. My Blackwoods Flake jar is perilously close to empty as well. Let me know when you find a cache! Marlin Flake has become my new go-to, if you haven’t tried it.
I don’t mean to brag, but I’m breaking in my NAP System for the first time and so far it’s incredible. It really disperses the smoke like I’ve never experienced and is cool and dry. More to come……
Brag away, good sir! And I hope to hear more from you soon.
Excellent, Mark. A mouth-watering read and on which is handsomely presented. I have taken the liberty of sending this to my printer for publication into booklet form. The whole series of system pipes is so interesting and varied (and perhaps not a little complex?) that I need to push my knowledge boundaries a little further.
Thank you for your effort, enthusiasm and erudition.
Steve
Thanks, Steven, you’re very welcome. I hope you enjoy Part 2 even more!
Another extraordinary post, Mark. Very timely. I was musing over my Standard 314 last night that I believe I purchased new in 1971 (trying to remember exactly …). It was a stretch for my college budget at the time but was perfect (plus, I, easily impressed, liked the nickel marks). Although often used for a number of years, it’s still a beautiful pipe.
I have an old 314 which I love smoking. Over 25 years now and still going strong. A bit careworn but an old friend. Great shape and balance. The pLip has moulded to my teeth after all those years.
This was Paddy Larrigan’s favorite in the System pantheon. He preferred shorter smokes and found it ideal.
1971? That’s a long tour of duty for any pipe. But when I look at my two from 1977 and ’78, and think about all the mileage they’ve seen, it’s humbling. They seem to operate almost like icons: when I look at or smoke them, their stories flow through them, ticking by the years.
Well, we have talked before about my 308 Premier bought in the Dublin shop in summer 2001. Today both me and the madam had a look on the silver with a Sherlock glass. The letter is F and on page 303 it should be 1991.
It was looking brand new when I bought it – and I liked the shape and the bowl are fully grained..
Jorgen, I still don’t understand how a 308 came to be released in 1991, but I won’t demur. If I ever pop across the pone to the “buttonhole,” I may ask permission to come see this and your other treasures!
Mark, As is typical this year, I am behind on most everything, including studying this, which I’ve wished-for for a long time. So, my heartfelt thanks to you for it, and I HOPE that you will publish it now! My grandson will appreciate it! Since seeing you at the Chicago show, I’ve spent a tiny bit of time re-evaluating my most desired System shapes – what are (presently) the shapes that are most comfortable to me. The 309 IS a favourite, but I’m tending toward 1/2 bent shapes, and away from full-bents (I”m still keeping my original 309 – it’s… Read more »
If you like half-bents, take a look at the 1909 Antique Reproduction in the 2nd part of this article. It’s a real beauty.
Mark, I am sure you have noticed that there is no “made in the republic of Ireland” stamp on the newer system pipes. I can’t seem to get a straight answer from anyone as to why that stamp is missing. Any thoughts?
Hi Doug, we actually talk about that in the Peterson book as a distinguishing mark of Dublin era (1991-2018) pipes. Tom Palmer dropped the stamp gradually in the mid-1990s to end of the decade. He felt “Made in Dublin” was sufficient in a world market that knows Peterson, and I think it was also a way not to call attention to the division in Ireland between the Republic and N. Ireland.
“He felt “Made in Dublin” was sufficient in a world market that knows Peterson, and I think it was also a way not to call attention to the division in Ireland between the Republic and N. Ireland”
Sorry if politics and pipes don’t mix, however, I’m trying to gain a better understanding of the ‘divisions’ and what this means under the present conditions. Perhaps I need to take out my ‘thinking man’ pipe and contemplate this matter!
Hi Joseph, this was just speculation on my part. Actually, Tom Palmer just didn’t see the need for it anymore. The stamps, which collectors use for identification, just conveniently had the name of the country on them from the end of the Patent era until the first years of the Dublin era, so Peterson aficionados use them to classify Petersons by age: Patent (1891-1921), Irish Free State (1922-37), Eire (1938-48), Early Republic (1949-68), Late Republic (1969-90), Dublin (1991-2018), Laudisi (2019- ). The reasons for these demarcations are beyond what I can say here, but you will find the complete rationale… Read more »
Hi Mark, this post was a lot of fun to read and very informative. Do you know if there is a way to narrow down the date a pipe was made within the Eire era? I recently came across a Peterson 317 standard system pipe that had never been smoked and would love to be able to get as close to the date it was made as possible. Thanks!
Hey Josh, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, you can narrow down the dates a bit further. The Peterson book is a great resource for this, but a little more information about the pipe can help as well. I’ll email you directly.
Hi! I really admire your systematic work. Thanx for it. I just want to ask that have you ever heard of system 303 with meerschaum chamber? Newly ı bought an estate and it apperas to have such specifications.
Ekin, no, I have never seen a briar System with a meer lining. We need some pictures to post! How about it? Sounds amazing.
Couldnt find out how to post an image in the comments sections ? Any tips?
So this is interesting: I just bought a Donegal Rocky XL02. Stamped 1977 ?
Daniel, sorry I didn’t see your comment earlier. A 1977 Donegal XL02. That has to be the first year of issue. It wasn’t in the catalog until 1978.How cool! If I remember aright, this year of Donegal was a beautiful rustication not seen in later years–a strictly matte-black. Is that right?
anyone ever heard of an Eire #361 de luxe peterson?
Hey Kidonia, I was talking to my friends Todd and Brian about this pipe today. If we had the measurements and some flank shots we could probably match it up to one of the dutch billiards. As it is, it’s hard to know if it’s the 8 / 313 or the 4 / 309 or something else. I wish eBay dealers would take a little time to help us Pete Geeks! LOL. The shape chart was in fluctuation between 1922 and 1937. Brian has 2 or 3 of these 300 shapes now, none of them from the Grade 3 System… Read more »
Please send email address I will send photos of it.
I have two Deluxe 5S calabashes. One has a 1983 hallmark (so a little earlier than the one you mentioned) and (I’m pretty sure) a replacement stem. The other is one of the “briar circle” models. That one has an ‘84 hallmark.
Chris, the Briar in a Circle are very singular Systems, and certainly never seen these days. You are a blessed man!
I’ve been smoking an XL 302(smooth finish) since 2012. Gives a great smoke each & every time. All the way down to the bottom.
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