Did I Snag a Pre-Republic Peterson?

**drewmac** · 03-05-2011, 06:42 AM

Title says it all....

I hit, "Buy It Now" really quick as I know based on the stamping that this Peterson is quite old. But, can anyone confirm that this is a Pre-Republic?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_500wt_1073

**aggieoutlaw** · 03-05-2011, 07:01 AM

It sure looks like it to me:
http://www.pipephil.eu/logos/en/logo-peterson.html

Either way, that's a nice lookin pipe!

**jwhite** · 03-05-2011, 10:01 AM

It looks like it probably is but I cant see the stampings clearly enough to be absolutely certain. The link provided by aggieoutlaw is accurate so you could make a more positive identification. Great pipe!!

**Greyfox** · 03-05-2011, 10:15 AM

Well the stamping of the P on the pipe is the old pre-republic style lettering. Ask the boys over at http://www.smokersforums.co.uk/index.php. There are some Peterson gurus there that really know their stuff. I have several pre-Republics as well as Patent Eras and the stamping on this pipe is different so I am hesitant to say for sure. Any any event it is a great pipe. Enjoy it.

**BBrad** · 03-05-2011, 02:44 PM

While I'm certainly not expert enough to tell for certain about its exact vintage . . . but is there such a thing as a "bad" Peterson at that price? Congrats on a nice pick-up!!

I only have one Peterson in my rotation, but it is by far my favorite pipe.

**Captain Pete** · 03-05-2011, 04:56 PM

Yes, it is pre-republic. The forked P gives it away. However, due to use of older stamps up through the transition period of the republic, it could be early republic. The only way to tell for 100% certain is if it's stamped Ireland, Eire, or Republic of Ireland. Either way, it's going to be a great smoker.

**drewmac** · 03-05-2011, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Pete

Yes, it is pre-republic. The forked P gives it away. However, due to use of older stamps up through the transition period of the republic, it could be early republic. The only way to tell for 100% certain is if it's stamped Ireland, Eire, or Republic of Ireland. Either way, it's going to be a great smoker.

Yeah, that's kind of what I thought. What's throwing me off with the eBay pics is there seems to be no Country of Manufacture stamping. Unless it's on the bottom of the pipe, but I thought Peterson stamped COM on the sides of the shank.

**Jim** · 03-05-2011, 06:28 PM

I fooled around with the photo- it may help or not

**jwhite** · 03-05-2011, 07:00 PM

Does me, thanks Jim. That is a pre-republic pipe the forked P and the Dublin & London seal it. Great find.

**drewmac** · 03-12-2011, 06:06 AM

Well, I received the pipe yesterday and she's a beauty. I'll post pics later. But, there is no country of manufacture stamp anywhere on the pipe (I looked with a loupe in case it was faint). Wouldn't that put it in the realm of patent era?

**jwhite** · 03-12-2011, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by drewmac

Well, I received the pipe yesterday and she's a beauty. I'll post pics later. But, there is no country of manufacture stamp anywhere on the pipe (I looked with a loupe in case it was faint). Wouldn't that put it in the realm of patent era?

That is really odd, because Jim's photo shows one and he enhanced the photo you provided. It should be directly under the Peterson's logo. Unless you or the sell recently tried to clean it and buffed it out, those stampings can be pretty delicate

**drewmac** · 03-12-2011, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by jwhite

That is really odd, because Jim's photo shows one and he enhanced the photo you provided. It should be directly under the Peterson's logo. Unless you or the sell recently tried to clean it and buffed it out, those stampings can be pretty delicate

Dublin and London isn't a COM stamp though. The stampings on the pipe are quite visible, so I can't imagine the one COM stamp rubbed off, but the others remain highly defined.

The only stamps on it are "Peterson's Dublin and London" "Special" and "x105"

EDIT: It looks as if there are some pre-republic pipes that have no indication of "Made in Ireland"

EDIT 2: Geeze, now I don't know. I've found this statement from Pipedia that would lend credence to my pipe being late patent-era.

"1. The Patent Era was between the years of K&P's formation until the expiration of the patent; 1875 through approximately 1910. Though for our purposes we will list this era as 1875 through 1922. Peterson pipes made during the majority of this period had no "Country of Manufacture" (COM) stamped on them. However, later in this period, say around 1915/16, Peterson began stamping their pipes "Made in Ireland" in a block format."

**jwhite** · 03-12-2011, 09:31 AM

The Dublin and London serves as the COM stamp as they had factories in both places and it is that which identifies it as a pre Republic along with the forked tail. I don't know the precise dates that stamping was used and would reference Hackers collectors compendium for more positive info.

**jwhite** · 03-12-2011, 07:21 PM

The last post was a little vague and I wanted to check my dates so that I didn't provide misinformation. The Dublin & London pipes and London & Dublin Pipes sometimes had a separate COM stamping but all put their COM first so yours was made in Ireland. Peterson kept a factory in London until the 60s but the stamping with the forked tail and the stamping you have shows that it is prerepublic.