Vintage Bertram Smooth Pot Grade 25 Tobacco Pipe For Sale

Bertram was one of the great old-school American pipe houses, operating out of Washington, D.C. and earning the nickname “The Nation’s Pipemaker.” The family’s pipe-making roots went back to the 19th century, with the Bertram Pipe Shop opening in 1927 and building a serious reputation among politicians, military brass, actors, and collectors.

These were proper American-made workhorse pipes with a surprisingly deep grading system. Bertram generally graded in increments of 10 — 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and up — with the higher number indicating better briar and overall quality. Pipes above 60 turn up much less often, while 80s and 90s are legitimately scarce.

Bertram had some serious clientele too. Their customer list included names like General Douglas MacArthur, Edward G. Robinson and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the shop developed enough prestige that it has sometimes been compared to an American version of Astley’s.

The company never really recovered after its factory was looted and burned during the 1968 Washington riots, and the family ultimately closed the business in 1977. That makes every original Bertram a piece of a vanished era of American pipe making — tough, honest pipes with a lot more history behind them than most collectors realize.

Professionally restored. Stem is 9/10. Come and take it.

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Keywords - briar smoking tobacco pipe rare vintage antique estate pipe potato

I combine shipping on orders over $40 in the continental US, just ask!

Measurements available upon request.

My shipping is a little more than some. I use UPS (unless it's going to a PO Box or non contiguous US) because UPS has a 98% success rate versus USPS at 87.5%. I have a dedicated UPS representative who goes above and beyond in the rare case there is a shipping issue. Three-ish dollars is worth the peace of mind in my opinion.