System Pipes

For this second part of Peterson System shapes, we’ll be looking at all the System shapes outside the 300 shape group. “300,” recall from last time, simply means the Standard System or old third grade original, Charles Peterson-designed Patent shapes, which may have different bowl numbers depending on grade or line or even production era. These shapes, being a bit off the beaten track, fall into sometimes overlapping groups. For our purposes here, we’ll look at them in three groups: House Pipes, Straight Systems, and Peculiars (all the rest). I. House Pipes   The O1, O2 and O3 XXL Patent House Pipes. 1896 – c. 1940.   An O1 Patent, Grade 4, courtesy James Arrington What we commonly call Peterson’s “House Pipes” were labeled “Extra Large Size” in the 1896 and 1906 catalogs, but then (to create more confusion) catalogued with “O” for oversize prefixes. These were the largest Patent System pipes made until the advent of the Hand Made System in the late 1980s. The O1 shape, incidentally, was a favorite with Charles Peterson and was in his daughter Isolde’s possession until the early 1990s, when her heirs donated it to Peterson.   An O2 IFS with replacement mouthpiece   In addition to the O1, there were two other Extra Large shapes illustrated in the 1896 catalog. The O2 shape is seen with the greatest frequency on the estate market, while the O3 shape is seen hardly at all. But continued in small numbers through at least the first three decades of the twentieth century. Measurements of O2 IFS: Length: 6.1in./ 155 mm. Weight: 2.70 oz. / 78 g. Bowl Height: 2.41 in. / 61.3 mm. Chamber Depth: 2.13 in. / 54.1 mm. Chamber Diameter: 0.83 in / 21 mm. Outside Diameter: 1.47 in. / 37.5 mm.   An O3 Éire with replacement P-Lip Last seen in the 1922 Temporary Illustrated Price List, numerous examples of House Pipes have been documented through the Irish Free State Era (1922-1937). The O2 is the largest of the three, the O1 slightly smaller, and the O3 the smallest.  Measurements of O3 Éire: Length: 6.1 in. / 155 mm. Weight: 2.45 oz / 70 g. Bowl Height: 2.52 in / 64.1 mm. Chamber Depth: 1.95 in./49.53 mm. Chamber Diameter: 0.83 in / 21 mm.   HAND-MADE. XXL Bent Billiard. c.1988-Present. The Hand Made is the largest current production System pipe, designated XXL by Peterson. It first appears in the company’s literature on the cover of a 1991 brochure, although it was in production at least as early as 1988.[1] Large bowls like this are always a problem to source, meaning this shape will always be made in small numbers. While the proportions of the chamber closely approximate the O1 House Pipe, the shape is slightly different, being a blending of the Patent O1 and O2. It is available in smooth finishes in Terracotta stain for the higher grade (often with a sterling cap as well) and Oak for the lower and once in…