Charatan Pipes: The Beginnings of the Brand
Frederick Charatan, a Russian-Jewish immigrant, opened a shop in 1863 on Mansell Street, "London" E1, where he carved Meerschaum pipes. Due to the growing popularity of these pipes, he soon moved to a larger workshop on Prescot Street. There, he began producing briar pipes, which would make the Charatan name world-famous. Charatan was the first brand to produce fully handcrafted briar pipes from raw wood to the finished product, including the mouthpieces. The term “Charatan's make” highlighted this manufacturing process and distinguished Charatan from brands that assembled pipes from pre-drilled heads and purchased mouthpieces.
Cooperation with Alfred Dunhill
Alfred Dunhill, dissatisfied with the quality of pipes imported from France, turned to Charatan. Between 1908 and 1910, Dunhill purchased pipes from Charatan and paid high prices to sell the finest pipes in England. In 1910, Alfred Dunhill recruited the legendary Joel Sasieni, a talented carver from Charatan, and opened his own pipe workshop at 28 Duke Street. Frederick's son, Reuben Charatan, took over the family business after his father retired in 1910.
In 1950, Herman G. Lane, an American pipe tobacco manufacturer seeking to expand his business in the UK, contacted the Charatan family. By 1955, Lane Ltd. became the exclusive distributor of Charatan in the USA, replacing Wally Frank. This development is documented in the biography "Leaves from a Tobaccoman’s Log." During this time, the legendary “Double Comfort” twin-saddle mouthpiece was introduced, which is still featured on Charatan pipes today.
Charatan in the USA and the Sale to Dunhill
Thanks to Herman G. Lane's efforts, Charatan became extremely popular in the USA. Ken Barnes reported in an interview with author Rick Newcombe that Reuben Charatan passed away in 1962, and his widow sold the company to Herman Lane one to two years later. In the early 1960s, Charatan pipes were the first to exceed the 100-dollar mark in US sales. In 1978, Lane's heirs sold Charatan to Dunhill. The Prescot Street factory was closed in March 1982, which affected the brand's prestige and quality among collectors.
Significance of the Lane Era for Collectors
The pre-Lane period (before 1955) and Lane-era pipes (1955 to around 1979-1984) are of special interest to collectors. Records about Charatan before the Lane era are scarce due to a factory fire, making dating difficult. Before 1950, there were four main quality levels: Supreme, Selected, Executive, and Belvedere. From 1950 onwards, Herman Lane's influence grew, and quality levels expanded.
The Sale and Buyback of Charatan by Dunhill
In 1988, Dunhill sold the rights to the Charatan name and trademark to James B. Russell Inc., a wholesaler. Russell produced the pipes in Saint-Claude, France, but these Charatan pipes were of lower quality and did not sell well. In 2002, Dunhill repurchased Charatan and commissioned Colin Fromm of Invicta Briars and Castleford to produce Charatan freehands.
Current Charatan Pipes Overview
The Charatan pipes currently offered are produced by Dunhill and provide an excellent price-performance ratio compared to typical prices for pipes from this house.
Nomenclature and Brand Distribution
The Lane brand serif and circled "L" indicate production during the Lane era (circa 1955 to 1979-1984). However, not all pipes were correctly stamped.
Sub-brands
- Mountbatten (made by Charatan apprentices, often top quality)
- London Straight Grain
- International Selection
- Falstaff
- Samirva
- Vauxhall
- Britannia
- Benlet
- Ben Wade
