Tobacco History : Peterson Pipes

Welcome to Tobacco History, a series of blogs made by the incredible Havana House team. In this series, we take a look into the fascinating past of pedigree businesses within the tobacco industry.

The History of Peterson Pipes

The story of Peterson Pipes starts a century and a half ago on the streets of Dublin, Ireland. Two German travellers, Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp, decided to set up shop on Grafton Street. If you read last week’s edition Tobacco History then you will surely know that the Kapp family business became a multimillion pound company in the modern era, managing to buy out famous brands such as Rattray’s.

Not long after the Kapp brothers store opened, a Latvian man by the name of Charles Peterson strolled into the store.He spat on the floor and declared that he could make better pipes than they could. Armed with an imaginative flair and a craftsman’s lineage, Peterson proved himself correct. The Kopps were impressed. Peterson became the third partner of the firm.

As a result of the partnership’s talent and ability to acquire resources, Peterson & Kopp rapidly became a household name. Just as certain brands are renowned for excellence in their respective spheres, in the world of pipe smoking that is the role of Peterson Pipes.

More awards and recognition was on the horizon for Peterson. In 1890 his invented his System pipe and 8 years later he patented his Lip mouthpiece. The pipe, along with the mouthpiece was often called the ‘pipe of the century’ by advertisers. This statement was generally accepted by consumers.

Moving into the 20th century, the Peterson pipe was embraced by politicians, Business Leaders, Clergymen, generals, sportsmen, artists and writers. The Peterson name was literally and figuratively hanging from the lips of the most powerful people in the world.

Conan Doyle cemented the image of Peterson as ‘the thinking man’s pipe’ with the publication of his first mystery investigation novel. The sleuth Sherlock Holmes character was completed with his very own curved Peterson pipe.

Nowadays, Peterson is still the most formidable company in the pipe smoking world. 100,000 pipes are sold worldwide across more than 60 countries. The main export markets being the USA, China and mainland Europe.

Peterson Pipes

The secret to Charles Peterson’s affinity with pipes was not only due to his knack for craftsmanship and a good feeling of the materials which he worked with. He believed that a fine pipe is not only a lasting source of pleasure and taste but it is an expression and extension of his personality.

Peterson Pipes are known for being made from good quality briar. All are fitted with nickel mounts and army style mouthpieces. The standard system traps moisture, resulting in a perfectly dry smoke. If you want to take a closer look into the 13 Peterson Models then click here!

Peterson Pipe Tobacco

Secondary to their magnificent pipes, is Peterson pipe tobacco. The variety of blends offer pipe smokers to add a little bit of luxury to their bowl. Each mixture is invented by master blenders. Each blend can take years to produce and perfect. If you would like to view Peterson’s full range of tobaccos, then click here!

Thanks for reading the latest addition to Tobacco History! We hope that you learned a good deal about Peterson pipes for your next encounter with a fellow pipe enthusiast. Do you have anything to add to our blog? Leave your comments down below!