Sasieni Patent One Dot Specially Selected Canadian Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates [SOLD OUT]

Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made, and founded Sasieni. This was 1919, and Sasieni has been the closest thing to a household name in English pipes ever since. Well, what do we have here? A unicorn? A holy grail? It would seem so, as this an example of the fabled ‘Specially Selected’ Sasieni pipes that were only made for a short few years between 1919 and 1924, and which preceded the more common ‘Four Dot’ pipes that followed. ‘Specially Selected’ here refers to pipes that were selected by Joel Sasieni to represent the make’s highest-grade offerings. These pipes were further distinguished by a pale blue dot inlay on the top of the pipe’s stem. However, due to copyright issues with Dunhill, Sasieni was soon forced to adopt the familiar four dot pattern associated with the make today. As such, SS One Dot pipes are extremely rare, representing a small fraction of Sasieni’s output over the course of a mere five years. The pipe itself is a wonderful example of a traditional, English Canadian, with superb, swirling flame grain all around the bowl, and an overall weight that will make the pipe very easy to clench. The condition is remarkably good for a century-old pipe, with just a few handling marks and inner rim darkening to show for its many years on this earth. The main nomenclature, though a little faint, reads as follows: SPECIALLY SELECTED (arched) BY Sasieni (cursive) LONDON MADE PAT. NO. 150221/20   Details: Length: 6″ / 152.4mm Bowl Width: 0.74 / 18.79mm Bowl Depth: 1.55″ / 39.37mm Weight: 1.1oz / 34g