DR. GRABOW STANDARD (1955)
The Standard replaced the Special. When HLT took over and the move from Chicago to Sparta happened.. HLT Dr. Grabow ads from 1955 list a NC address , and the pipes came in 5 lines.
Deluxe, Supreme, Tru-Grain, Select Grain... and Standard. It should be noted that there are some HLT Specials.. I have one. But this time period in Grabow history 1953-1955 is a little fuzzy. Its tough to tell what was made where.
Here is my Standard pot.
The Dr. Grabow Appreciation thread.
- Chef Benny
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~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.
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Chef, I always thought that Grabow purchased HLT for (or simply gained) the adjustomatic, but you're saying the opposite, that HLT purchased Grabow or Linkman. I will defer to your knowledge, as my HLT connection interest is solely related to my interest in the Willard line of pipes.Chef Benny wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:12 am DR. GRABOW STANDARD (1955)
The Standard replaced the Special. When HLT took over and the move from Chicago to Sparta happened.. HLT Dr. Grabow ads from 1955 list a NC address , and the pipes came in 5 lines.
Deluxe, Supreme, Tru-Grain, Select Grain... and Standard. It should be noted that there are some HLT Specials.. I have one. But this time period in Grabow history 1953-1955 is a little fuzzy. Its tough to tell what was made where.
Here is my Standard pot.
I appreciate your posts and your knowledge. Keep it coming, reminds me of the old DGCF days!
Could you please flesh out the HLT/Grabow story for me? Thx!
I wonder if "blame Wildcat" will become a theme here? - Fr_Tom
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You got it!Wildcat wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 10:34 amChef, I always thought that Grabow purchased HLT for (or simply gained) the adjustomatic, but you're saying the opposite, that HLT purchased Grabow or Linkman. I will defer to your knowledge, as my HLT connection interest is solely related to my interest in the Willard line of pipes.
I appreciate your posts and your knowledge. Keep it coming, reminds me of the old DGCF days!
Could you please flesh out the HLT/Grabow story for me? Thx!
In a nutshell..
HLT stands for Henry Leonard and Thomas.
The company was founded by 3 business men, in Ozone Park .. Queens NY in 1938. They were a successful pipe company with the Royalton being their most popular offering at the time.
They were chuggin' along just fine as a pipe company, when in the early 1940s the war had already begun to disrupt the supply of quality briar.
The Henry in HLT was
Mr. Henry Lavietes ... the son of David Lavietes...the dude who invented the adjustomatic device.
David (the dad) moved to Sparta in the early 1940s looking for rhododendron burl to send to his son at HLT Headquarters in NY. This led to the establishment of D&P pipeworks.. which stood for David and Paul (his other son) .. D&P was ostensibly more of a briar supplier / sawmill than an actual pipe company. But they did make some cool pipes like the Spartan and the Trapwell.
In 1944 Henry abruptly moved the entire operation to NC.
In 1953 Mr Louis B. Linkman was ready to retire.. it was HLT that acquired the Dr.Grabow Pipe Company and all of its assets and equipment. The move to Sparta was underway.
Around the same time.. HLT goes on a buying spree, and acquires Continental Briar, which made a pipe called the Royal Duke.. Also the Van Roy pipe company which made a pipe called the Bard. The Hollycourt line was also purchased by HLT from Linkman. They had won patents for a Royalton stem and filter system as well.
These companies would all function as separate businesses until in 1985 they would all be rolled into what was called Sparta Industries. The Willard was made by Sparta from 1963-Late 70s.
Below are some photos of my HLT Royalton .. this is an early 40s model made in NYC. This pipe is basically a Pre-Grabow HLT Royalton.
~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.
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Here are some pics of my D&P Pipe. Made in Boone, NC. This is an interesting little piece of Dr. Grabow history.
~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.
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LINKMAN'S FILT - O - CORK (1930s)
Here is a new acquisition. I recently came across this beautiful and unique pipe, and I knew right away that I had something special.
This is a Pre - Grabow spaded Linkman's pipe with a very interesting filter system. Always the inventor and innovator... Mr. Linkman thought this one up in the late 20s, early 30s. It pre dates paper filter Grabows that we are all familiar with today. CORK!!?...yes cork filters. Probably even more rare than the pipe itself are the 4 packs of filters that I was lucky enough to find, and purchased completely separate from the pipe. Also the windshield type shape is pretty cool. It's got some great markings on it as well as that famous Spade!
Cheers!
Here is a new acquisition. I recently came across this beautiful and unique pipe, and I knew right away that I had something special.
This is a Pre - Grabow spaded Linkman's pipe with a very interesting filter system. Always the inventor and innovator... Mr. Linkman thought this one up in the late 20s, early 30s. It pre dates paper filter Grabows that we are all familiar with today. CORK!!?...yes cork filters. Probably even more rare than the pipe itself are the 4 packs of filters that I was lucky enough to find, and purchased completely separate from the pipe. Also the windshield type shape is pretty cool. It's got some great markings on it as well as that famous Spade!
Cheers!
~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.
That's an awesome find! Does the cork restrict the draw a lot?Chef Benny wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 2:25 am LINKMAN'S FILT - O - CORK (1930s)
Here is a new acquisition. I recently came across this beautiful and unique pipe, and I knew right away that I had something special.
This is a Pre - Grabow spaded Linkman's pipe with a very interesting filter system. Always the inventor and innovator... Mr. Linkman thought this one up in the late 20s, early 30s. It pre dates paper filter Grabows that we are all familiar with today. CORK!!?...yes cork filters. Probably even more rare than the pipe itself are the 4 packs of filters that I was lucky enough to find, and purchased completely separate from the pipe. Also the windshield type shape is pretty cool. It's got some great markings on it as well as that famous Spade!
Cheers!
The Troll Whisperer
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I tested just one of these little cork filters out, and surprisingly it works great. Not too much of a restricted draw. It didn't get spongy funky until the 6th bowl. I imagine they quit making these because paper was more economical, but I would argue that cork is better than paper. This came out almost 30 years prior to the first Dr. Grabow filtered pipes.. way ahead of its time!Tsal wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:04 amThat's an awesome find! Does the cork restrict the draw a lot?Chef Benny wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 2:25 am LINKMAN'S FILT - O - CORK (1930s)
Here is a new acquisition. I recently came across this beautiful and unique pipe, and I knew right away that I had something special.
This is a Pre - Grabow spaded Linkman's pipe with a very interesting filter system. Always the inventor and innovator... Mr. Linkman thought this one up in the late 20s, early 30s. It pre dates paper filter Grabows that we are all familiar with today. CORK!!?...yes cork filters. Probably even more rare than the pipe itself are the 4 packs of filters that I was lucky enough to find, and purchased completely separate from the pipe. Also the windshield type shape is pretty cool. It's got some great markings on it as well as that famous Spade!
Cheers!
~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.
- Chef Benny
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LINKMAN'S DR.GRABOW DELUXE CHURCHWARDEN (Late 1930s)
Here is another diamond in the rough. You don't see too many churchwarden pipes in Dr. Grabow history. This was an early iteration of the Deluxe. The 2 pins on the shank were an early Linkman's trademark. This is also unique in that it has a shape number 00A, not the common 4 digit shape number that is marked on most deluxe pipes. She's in great shape! I can still smell the 80 year old Edgeworth ghosted into her!
Here is another diamond in the rough. You don't see too many churchwarden pipes in Dr. Grabow history. This was an early iteration of the Deluxe. The 2 pins on the shank were an early Linkman's trademark. This is also unique in that it has a shape number 00A, not the common 4 digit shape number that is marked on most deluxe pipes. She's in great shape! I can still smell the 80 year old Edgeworth ghosted into her!
~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.
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HLT DR. GRABOW SPECIAL
BLACK SPADE (Mid 1950s)
Here is another very special "Special". These were only made for a few years after the transition to HLT in 1953. The "Special" was soon replaced with the "Standard". One thing that makes this pipe awesome is the black spade on swirled Bakelite stem. Sometimes when you see a black spade on a Grabow, it is a painted over reject. This one is not that. This is a clear beautiful black spade. I need to do a little clean-up restoration on this one, but she's a beauty.
BLACK SPADE (Mid 1950s)
Here is another very special "Special". These were only made for a few years after the transition to HLT in 1953. The "Special" was soon replaced with the "Standard". One thing that makes this pipe awesome is the black spade on swirled Bakelite stem. Sometimes when you see a black spade on a Grabow, it is a painted over reject. This one is not that. This is a clear beautiful black spade. I need to do a little clean-up restoration on this one, but she's a beauty.
~ Tobacco is part of a complete breakfast.