Question for the Charatan Aficionados

[12toneman]

Here's Simenon with a shape I don't think I've seen before before in the Charatan catalog. Similiar to the skater, but less severe. And sporting a tapered stem. Any idea what shape name/number this is?

 

[Richard Burley]

I don't know, but I want one. I rarely see a Charatan shape I like, but that one is cool. Or maybe he just makes it look so.

 

[monbla256]

Here's Simenon with a shape I don't think I've seen before before in the Charatan catalog. Similiar to the skater, but less severe. And sporting a tapered stem. Any idea what shape name/number this is?

From the blast, and the appearance of Simenon, It looks to be from the late 60's or early '70s and probably is a Freehand Relief model which came in all sorts of shapes but did not have any shape #s as each was a singularly produced pipe. I have two I got back then and the only marking is :
 
CHARATAN'S MAKE
LONDON ENGLAND
Freehand Relief (this was in a script font)

The two I have came in a Tanshell finish and I've never seen any in the other two darker blast finishes. This one looks to be another example of the Tanshell finish. I'm surprised to see anything but a Dunhill in Georges mouth as he owned and smoked them almost exclusively owning over 300 of them   :twisted: :twisted: And all he supposedly smoked was Royal Yacht!! What kind of REAL pipe smoker smokes just ONE blend ?  :twisted: :twisted:

 

[riff raff]

Charatan really didn't do many shape numbers (I'm a fan of the 109 Bulldog)

 

[12toneman]

good info, monbla. thanks!

 

[bent bulldog]

MONBLA256 is absolutely correct. It is definitely a Freehand Relief. When I owned a piece of a pipe shop back in the 70's and 80's we carried a full line of Charatans. They rivalled Dunhill in quality, prestige, and price for many years in those days Unfortunately if Ebay prices are any indication much of the cache the brand used to command has faded in recent years which is too bad because they were always a first class briar when Herman Lane was involved with the company. They did have several lines of standard briars with shape numbers. These included the dark red smooth finished Belvedere, the light brown smooth finish Special, the dark brown smooth finish Perfection, and the brown sandblast which they just called the Charatan's make. Their bigger more unusual pipes such as the Freehand Relief, the Executive, and the Supreme were unique shapes and had no shape numbers. Anyway the Freehand Relief always had a beautiful sandblast and was a great smoke so if you see one of these, grab it!