THE PIPES OF BASIL RATHBONE’S SHERLOCK HOLMES
is back in stock at Amazon.com.
For international orders get directions HERE.
Those of you with a copy of the Peterson book know that the company made its name in the beginning largely through industrial exhibitions, not only exhibiting their pipes but entering them in various competitions. The medals the company took away—eleven by the end of the era—helped establish Peterson as a brand in the world market.
A report of K&P’s first exhibition in 1896,
where they brought away two gold medals.
As the decades passed, trade shows displaced the larger-themed industrial exhibitions as places where those involved in selling and marketing tobacco and smoking accessories market can meet.
One of the most intriguing displays at the 2019 Inter Tabac
The 40th InterTabac—International Trade Fair for Tobacco Products and Smoking Accessories—was held in Dortmund, Germany, from the 20th to the 22nd of September.* It is, I understand, the world’s largest such event, eclipsing even our own PCA (formerly IPCPR). Josh Burgess, Managing Director at Peterson, sent me the marvelous e-poster from the show seen above.
“We had one new release,” Josh said. “The series is called Peterson Shorts. It’s a line that Glen Whelan, our Director of Sales, came up with. Each shape in the series is a classic Peterson shape, but both the stem and the shank have been cut back to make for a more compact presentation. Each pipe has a silver band and hand stamping.”
“Its an idea I had been toying with for a number of years now,” Glen writes, “and I am really pleased that Josh and Sykes Wilford [of Laudisi] saw the potential in the range for it to become a reality.”
“We have nine shapes in the series, all with fishtail mouthpiece,” Glen told me. “Shapes in the series are – 03, 150, 230, 264, 268, 406, 80s, 999 & X105. For now we are offering the smooth finish (black& white stain) and rustic.”
As you can see from the poster at the top, this is a mid-to-upper range line, denoted not only by the sterling band Josh mentioned, but also the inlaid aluminum P in what looks like a vulcanite mouthpiece. “We should have them in the market before around mid-November,” Glen said. (And yours truly is hoping maybe a few tins of the new “Peterson” De Luxe Navy Rolls to go with them!)
*The Dutch Pipe Smoker has, as always, written a lovely blog post about his experience.
Incredibly excited for these. I have been wanting a shorter Peterson for a long time!
Yea, I think Glen Whelan’s on to something.
Wow.. so Peterson is going to pickup the Dunhill marque??!
Recall Peterson divested all their tobacco lines when the company was bought by Laudisi. They sold their own brands to STG, I think, and it is the latter who are using the Peterson branding to reissue the old Dunhill blends. Somebody correct me on this!
I do love short pipes, add in the Sterling Band and inlaid P and I’m sold. I’m thinking 03, 230, 264, 268, and maybe the X105. Ok, I’m a Pete Freak…I want them all, my budget won’t handle it though?
I wish they would make a smaller bowled 53 or 55 shorty, those and how about B63’s and B64’s. They are already shorties. Give them some short P-Lip Rosslare variegated stems, or better yet cumberland. I like the sand/tan variegated stems with a sand/tan and black contrast sandblast.
I think I need a “Special Order” form?
John, do I diagnose a little P.A.D.? LOL. The B idea is spectacular, but I don’t think Peterson even has any of the B bowls left, apart from the ones that entered the regular Classic Range.
I could handle a 999 ‘short’, my all time favourite Pete, Cumberland or P-lip or Fishtail, one of each maybe even Smooth or Rusticated in one of each. Just apply a little imagination and I’ll buy. Oh, how I’ll buy.
I think Glen had his ear to the ground, from what you say!
I hate being a wet blanket but I do not believe that STG has commited to the U.S. market for the Dunhill tins. I think they are trying to convince the FDA that these are not “new tobaccos” and therefore are not subject to the expensive vetting procedure the FDA has invoked. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Yup, fingers crossed, candles lit. I’m down to 3 tins of the Deluxe Navy Rolls, and it sure would be nice to be able to just…buy it without having to bid against every millionaire in the country!
Dear Mr Irwin, I do like the look of these pipes, but would question the move by Peterson/Laudisi to offer only fishtail mouthpieces. I agree that some smokers don’t find the P-Lip to their taste, but could the range (and others- such as the Donegal Rocky) not be offered in both options? I am also heartened to see the former Dunhill Tobacco range is now available once again. My own choices are for ‘Early Morning Pipe’ ‘Nightcap’ and ‘Flake’ but if the mixtures remain the same, then it seems to me that pipe smokers can, once again, enjoy these classic… Read more »
Hi Richard, I couldn’t agree more with what you say. Unfortunately, at the moment Peterson seems to be in a state of “in between” as far as vulcanite mouthpieces go. As far as the P-Lip question goes, I certainly share your sentiments, and strongly (strongly) encourage you to voice them, via email, to Peterson directly. I don’t think they realize how many P-Lip fans there are. It appears there is a snag with the FDA in the US as regards the Dunhill / Peterson blends, but I saw today that for those in the UK, at least, these fabulous blends… Read more »
I see these blends are now available in the UK………
nothing yet on this side of the pond.
Looks like we have to wait for the murky waters of the FDA to figure out these are the same very old blends, just with a different label. We’ll light a candle and see how that goes!
RE Shorts: on the other hand, it would be nice if a few, just a few, of the standard shapes (06, 69, for instance) were to be fitted with slightly longer stems than is typical! It is just FAIR to accommodate those souls who want such. And, it lends an elegant aire to the pipe, and the pipe smoker! Other marques have done the same with a few of their standard shapes. Of course, those should be of straight double taper – no swooping allowed! I believe Peterson offered (some years ago) a straight billiard with longer stem – approx.… Read more »
As far as the controversy involving the rebranding of say, Dunhill 965 to Peterson 965 the FDA needs to understand that the new tins are EXACTLY the same blends mixed by EXACTLY the same blenders as were blendlng the Dunhill labelled tins, the Peterson trademsrk being the sole change. Lets hope the FDA shows some common sense on this one. Keep puffin.
Linwood, I could see a longer stem on some pipes enticing me. PAD TAD PAD …..?
Well, I just ordered my Peterson Short from SPC. I was kind of bummed out though…they are not very short. I think they could have taken at least another 1/2″-3/4″ of the stem off. I ended up getting a #264 as it seemed to be the shortest shape overall even though it started out as a canadian. None of the shapes really looked all that abbreviated. The price seemed good for a silver banded inlaid logo line though. I did not spot any glaring fills in the pics of the few that I looked at either. Plus a tin of… Read more »
They look pretty chunky to me, John. I’ve got a 268 zulu in my cart, but I’m trying to resist… I feel my resolve crumbling as I write this…
Do it…Do it…..Ya, I’m not a good influence?……or…..maybe I am?
I had a 268 in the cart first, but I saw the 264’s were shorter overall.
I took another closer look at more of them….there are definitely fills present.
After looking closer at the pics of the one I bought, I think it may have a small fill right in the middle of the left flank of the bowl. It does have some decent flame grain on both sides though.
By the time I went to check out, John, my 268 of choice was gone. Oh well, as my co-author always says, “There’s always another pipe.”
It wouldn’t happen to have been the one with the nice slanted flame grain on both flanks?
Get thee behind me, Satan!
Ha..it was not me, but I was eyeball’in than one too 🙂
I might have had another free tin of tobacco had that pipe not disappeared when it did 🙂