Charatan -- Pipes : Logos & Markings

Short history of the brand.
Brand founded in 1863 by Frederik Charatan. When his father retired in 1910, Reuben Charatan took over the family business.
All the pipes were handmade until 1973.
The brandname has been overtoken by Dunhill in 1978 and sold in 1988 to James B. Russell Inc. (NJ, USA). During the period 1988-2002 Charatans were crafted by Butz Choquin in St Claude (France).
Dunhill re-purchased Charatan brand name in 2002 and Colin Fromm (Invicta Briars, Castleford) follows up on freehand production.

Charatan seconds: Mountbatten

Cavalier à Prescott Street

Le remède

After Hours

▲ (Underside)

Charatan's Make

London England

Belvedere

Made by Hand

(On extension)

After Hours

After Hours Charatan pipes are actually short shanked pipes with an extension. The Early pipes had a horn section (later plastic) and it was screwed to the truncated shank.

The After Hours line was a clever move by Charatan to use smaller or flawed strummels.

Belvedere

9mm filter

▲ (Left side)

Charatan Make, London England

Belvedere

(Right side)

4148DC, 9MM

(On stem)

REGD No. 203573

The red "CP" stem logo indicates a 9mm filter pipe.

The "DC" stamping ("Double Comfort" saddle bit) after the shape # (here 4148) was introduced when Dunhill took control of the company in 1979. The patent number on the stem applies for this DC bit.

Coronation

▲ (Left side) Charatan (Curved) [Crown] Coronation

(Right side) Made by Hand, in, City of London

The Coronation grade was introduced between 1965 and 1979. The full script marking (Made by hand in the city of london) was the one used during this period.

Crown Achievement

▲ (Left side) Charatan's, CROWN, ACHIEVEMENT

(Right side) Made by Hand, London England

▲ Hallmarked gold band: stampings of the leopard head, 325 (9 Karat gold), and "FC" (Frederick Charatan).
Pipe dating from 1969.

"CROWN ACHIEVEMENT" line is on the top of Charatan grading (about 20 grades) just after the extremely rare "Suma cum Laude".
Retail price (in 1970 catalogue): 1500 US$

Executive

▲ Charatan Make, London Englan, Executive

▲ After 1965, some Executive had a carved top to resemble plateau briar (see detailed view)

Grosvenor

▲ Charatan, of London, Grosvenor, 233

▲ This is typically a pipe carved in France. Note the slightly different C and P linking, the "of London" instead of "London England" and a "France" stamping under the stem.

Lane Era & DC

▲ (Left side) Charatan Make, London England

(Bottom) L (In circle) 483DC

L in circle denotes a pipe imported into USA by Lane Ltd between 1955 and 1988.
The "DC" stamping after 483 (shape #) was introduced when Dunhill took control of the company in 1979. DC means "Double Comfort" saddle bit.

Newmarket

▲ Charatan Make, London England, 58

▲ Family era : period 1910 - 1960

Shape #58 called "Newmarket"

Special

Charatan Make, London England, Special

Rondelle

(transparent)

▲ (Left side)

Charatan's Make, London England

Made by Hand in

City of London

▲ "CP" logo inlaid in a transparent rondelle. This technic is typical of Butz Choquin and it is therefore very probable this pipe is one of those crafted by the French factory between 1988 and 2002.

Tinder Box

Golden Jubilee

▲ (Left side)

Tinder Box, Golden Jubilee, 1928-197

(Right side)

Charatan's, Made By Hand in City of London

(Underside) 143 of 300

(Stem markings) : Golden CP logo and Regd No
Gold filled band

▲ Lane era: period 1955 - 1988

Underboar

▲ (Left side) UNDERBOAR REG. NO 682372, 120
(Right side) CHARATAN'S MAKE LONDON.ENGLAND

The Underboar line has been made for a period from the 1920s to WWII. Because of the system equipping these pipes, Charatan gave it the catchphrase "the pipe that cleans itself". (See document)

The Charatan Underboar system description