CHARATAN'S MAKE LONDON SPECIAL 348 - No reserve price - Pipe - Briar

The history of the manufacture is divided into several phases: Charatan family, Lane period, Dunhill period and subsequent production. Specialist sources further distinguish Lane phases based on the marks and construction features.
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Element of your pipe


What it indicates


CHARATAN'S MAKE


Traditional marking of the manufacture


LONDON ENGLAND


Declared English production


SPECIAL


Commercial grade


348


Shape number


Bocchino nero con CP


Charatan logo, to be compared with historical variants

My working hypothesis is a production between the 1950s and early 1960s, but I would not consider it a definitive dating.

The presence of the mouthpiece and the form of the letters are fundamental. The CP logo thinner and with the C entering the P is associated with the oldest productions; the later versions have a more pronounced engraving.
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To narrow down the period, one must check whether the mouthpiece is Double Comfort, whether the number 348 is followed by X or DC and whether the Lane symbol is present.

2. Originality and condition
6

From the photographs I note:

Radica with predominantly straight grain and brown finish.

Black mouthpiece apparently made of vulcanite or hard rubber.

Normal surface wear, with visible marks on the mouthpiece and on the edge of the bowl.

Internal chamber darkened by use, to be checked for possible deep burns.

I do not see elements sufficient to claim that the mouthpiece is certainly original. The match between the form and the CP logo, together with the socket in the shank, is important to verify it.

The term Special identifies a commercial grade, not a top-of-the-line series. In Charatan classification, Special sits among standard grades, distinct from higher lines such as Selected and Supreme and from the subsequent Supreme S series.
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3. Indicative economic assessment

Preliminary estimate of your pipe

80–150 €

Target range for a used Charatan Special, in decent condition and with original mouthpiece. This is not a certified quote nor a verified sale of the specific model 348.

Market references

A Charatan Special Dublin with City of London marking is listed by Smokingpipes at $230; it is a different specimen, with its own dimensions and conditions, so it is not directly comparable to yours.
Smokingpipes