Recognition and Appreciation
Wessex may not be the most well-known pipe brand on the international market, but it has been valued by connoisseurs for many years.
Manufacturing and Availability
The pipes are crafted in a small Italian factory primarily serving the North American market, which is well occupied with orders. This often results in supply issues. The shortage of briar wood in recent years has not spared this producer either.
Value for Money
However, it is notable that Wessex pipes offer remarkable value for money, especially for lovers of larger pipe bowls, for which the brand is particularly renowned.
Quality and Materials
In the higher price ranges, one can also find high-quality wood with attractive grain patterns. Almost all Wessex pipes are equipped with acrylic mouthpieces and are suitable for 9mm filters.
Historical Background
Wessex was originally a brand of pipes by Hall & Fitzgerald Co and was later manufactured in France by Chacom. Hall & Fitzgerald, a wholesaler of pipes, “fancy goods,” and tobacconists' supplies, first registered its trademark in England in 1899.
Developments and Design
Wessex is likely linked to the Wessex Tobacco Company, formed in London in the early 1980s by a group of pipe tobacco experts. Some models were designed by the German architect and designer Peter Kliem and produced in the factories of Saint-Claude, with acrylic and Cumberland stems.
Current Ownership
Today, the brand is owned by the Berlin company Denicotea, which primarily manufactures and distributes smokers' accessories .
