The Peterson brand is issued from the association of the brothers Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp with Charles Peterson. The Dublin tobacco shop first named "Kapp Brothers" (1865) became the "Kapp & Peterson" Company.
Tom Palmer bought the Peterson business in the early 1990s .
Production (2006): ~ 120 000 Pipes / year
1875 - 1915: Patent Era
1915 – 1949: Pre Republic Era (Irish Free State, Made in Eire, Made in Ireland)
1950 – Present: Republic Era (Made in the Republic of Ireland)
1991 – Present: Modern Era (Tom Palmer buys over Peterson)
▲ (Left side)
Peterson's (Arched) N° 12393 90 Patent
(On band)
Kapp Bro
◊ [hibernia] [harp] [W] ◊
Peterson's (Arched) N° 12393 90 Patent
▲ Enlarged view #1
Enlarged view #3
Enlarged views #2 and #4
The shank/stem gap: one of Peterson's odd particularity. The tenon is slightly tapered so even if the briar or the stem material shrinks or expands the stem can still be inserted tightly. This allows to safely remove and replace stem while pipe is hot.
The enlarged views display the tenon extension
(the condensor). In the early years, Peterson used horn condensors (this
pipe) for their Deluxe and Premier series. Sometime in the 1940's they changed
to bakelite and finally to aluminum nowadays.
The silver hallmarks correspond to 1899 (see document).
The "2" after the word "Patent" indicates the second-highest grade offered. This pipe from the Patent era shows no fills.
No stem markings on this pipe.
No mention of "Ireland" nor "Eire" nor "Irish Free State" on the shank.
Pipe of the Pre-republic era (Before 1949).
Notice the Country of Manufacture stamp in two lines and block letters.
The first two escutcheon in Peterson's genuine silver
hallmark are a Hibernia and a Harp. The first mark on the band of this pipe
is a Shamrock denoting a non silver metal, probably nickel. These faux hallmarks
cannot be of any help to date the pipe.
The "Irish Free State" mark was adopted in 1922 and replaced by "Eire" in 1937.
- The Irish Free State was formed on 15 January 1922.
- Eire was formed on 29 December 1937.
This unsmoked pipe should have been crafted in this period of time.
▲
(Left side) Peterson, System, 0
(Right side) Made in Ireland (In circle) 307