{It was first issued to honour Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous fictitious detective character, Sherlock Holmes. Holmes is perhaps the most famous pipe smoking character in fiction. There are many Peterson pipes with sterling silver bands that do not have hallmarks though, even some in the Premier and Deluxe grades. There was also a miniature version of Sherlock Holmes pipes issued around the same time. These were smaller bowled pipes at around two thirds the size of the originals and replicated those shapes.|Peterson shared in the 1988 commemoration of Huber’s 125th year in business by producing a special pipe with a sterling rim cap, stamped HUBER over CELEBRATION. With that information in hand I knew what I was dealing with in terms of the stamping and the age of this pipe. I knew from the information that the pipe was made during the Republic Era between 1950 and 1989.|Politicians, writers, personalities from sports and political life, and even characters from fiction, regularly carry a Peterson pipe with them in their mouths. There is also a wide range of pipe tobacco and even cigars, and they are expanded every year. The pipe tobacco made by Peterson is by no means a mass-produced product. The danish Pipetobacco-producer „Scandinavian Tobacco Group“ has been manufacturing pipe tobacco for a number of years.} {I have found that there is a clear dichotomy of opinion on the views of pipe smokers on the Rosslare series, they either 'love 'em or loath them'. Some find the orange/yellow Acrylic stem 'a bit over the top'. In 1979 and 1980 Peterson commenced production of the Mark Twain gold banded numbered limited edition, numbered 1 through to 400. The pipe proved to be so popular that the number was quietly increased to 1000. The issue was such a great success and prompted further production of more pipes in 1981 to satisfy demand, with the Mark Twain second numbered silver banded edition, numbered 1 through to 1000, each in special presentation boxes.|The second issue was called 'The Return of' and was based on the success of 'the Original', with seven additional new shapes and dedicated wooden rack being created. All similar to the first issue, with XL bowl sizes and similar sterling silver bands with the SH stamp. Peterson pipes is one of the premier company’s and has been since 1865. The traditional and well renowned brand has the unique blend of innovation and ability to hold on to the virtues of the original craftsmanship of pipe making.|Pipes that were marked thus, are much sought after by Peterson pipe collectors. Before it was Peterson Pipes it was the Kapp Brothers - Friedrich and Heinrich Kapp, German immigrants to Ireland from Nürnberg, Germany, who founded the famed Kapp Brothers store on Grafton Street, Dublin, in 1865. Then one day a Latvian immigrant, Charles Peterson, strolled into the Kapp workshop and declared that he could make better pipes than they. Armed with an imaginative flair for pipes and a craftsman's background, Peterson not only proved himself correct, but became the third partner in the fledgling firm.} {Frederick hired this man, who from then on specialized in making bespoke pipes. He continued to develop the pipes he made and applied for numerous patents, which were even awarded industry prizes. After Peterson died in 1919, the descendants of the Kapps remained company owners for the next several decades.|The Peterson Manx (Laxey Pipes Ltd.) Isle of Man factory partnership ceased operation about 1981 and the production of all African Meerschaum pipes was moved to Dublin and continued there until 1986. Peterson then went on to produce more non limited versions of the Mark Twain pipes, this time without numbers, from 1983 through to 1989. English made Peterson pipes actually spanned the period between the pre Republic and Republic eras. Around 1916, Peterson began stamping their pipes "Made in Ireland" in what is referred to as a block format. This was a turbulent period for the company with the outbreak of World war 1 and the start of the Easter uprising in 1916.|Pipe and cigar smokers would stroll down to the elegant premises for professional advice on the subtle nuances that determine a good handmade cigar or briar pipe. The Peterson brand was embraced by politicians, business leaders, sportsmen, artists and writers. The draw is good, and the flavour is particularly great in new pipes. As for the aesthetics and ergonomics, I find some shapes much more attractive than others. Favourites for me are the 1s, 2s, 3s, the Mark Twains and the Darwin deluxe.} {When Tom Palmer bought the Peterson business at the beginning of the nineteen nineties', he adopted the policy of "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Basically sticking wisely to what the business had historically been famous for, good quality, value for money, popular, classic shaped pipes. At the end of the eighties just as the Sherlock Holmes range was being issued, Peterson reintroduced the modern Captain Pete series.|They are well named Deluxe s for giving that special experience. These special pipes, all of which are silver mounted, are rare and a limited number are available each year. Shapes can vary depending on availability of suitable raw materials”. The pipes in this range are amongst the best and most select briars that Peterson produce. They vary in price from the Grafton, Rosslare Royal Irish and Silver Spigots starting at around $250. To the slightly more expensive Silver Caps and Lids, Plato, Royal Irish and Celtic Naturals and on up to $800 plus for Gold spigots.|The pipe bowls on these modern versions are all based on the Sherlock Holmes shapes. At the start of the 1950s, all pipes at Kapp & Peterson were stamped with “Made in the Republic of Ireland” stamp and also starting off the decade with the hallmark letter I on any silverware. Also a pipe made in England must meet English requirements which now (and for a number of years)are only 925 for sterling.} {In less than year the New Peterson System had begun its journey to revolutions the way pipes where manufactured and smoked. In 1905 The new style of pipe wins Gold and Silver medals at the Brewing and Allied trades show. In 1910 the brand goes international partnering up with European distributor Wellauer AG in Switzerland. In the 1950's Peterson expands into its own Pipe Tobacco Blends it is called Peterson Mixture. This is the final piece in the puzzle and the brand has continued to expand and progress even with further innovation in today's anti Tobacco climate.|The idea behind this is; the smoke leaving the smaller diameter and entering the larger diameter will expand and slow down, thus dropping more moisture before entering your mouth. To some people the cleaning of system pipes can appear to be problematic, in fact they are in most cases easy to clean. A pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol will do a fine job of removing any dried tobacco juices in the mouthpiece or shank. If there is any difficulty with the pipe cleaner accessing the narrow Plip, I would suggest using the finer narrow pipe cleaners made by Falcon, which are still widely available. The sump pit on a system pipe can be cleaned with a QTip swab or piece of rolled up paper towel, likewise preferably dipped in alcohol before use.|The PetersonLip (PLip) mouthpiece, designed to offset the inhaled smoke to the roof of the mouth, thus avoiding tongue bite. The famous P lip stem incorporated into the system pipes mouthpiece directs the smoke flow through a small hole at the top of the stem to the roof of the mouth. I had seen this pipe on many occasions when I had previously visited Bonds E bay site.} {With Ireland's joining of the European Community in 1973, a fourth miniature hallmark representation of the Celtic Glenisheen collar was added to the right of the date stamp for that year, hallmark letter F. In 1899, Peterson opened the first in a series of several successive shops in London, England, that lasted until the late 1960s/70s. The Kapp brothers, George and Frederick originally emigrated to Great Britain from Nuremburg in Bavaria. They first appear in the London trade directories in 1866, when they are listed as Meerschaum pipe makers of 98 Dean Street, Soho, London. They then parted company in 1869 and established their own pipe shops independently of each other.|I have managed to source three others, Red, Ebony and Sandblast. These large hand made pipes normally retail for around $200 $ 400 depending on shape and finish. Varying from Smooth, Sandblast and Rustic finishes and Straight Billiard and Bent shapes. The Grafton is rated by Peterson as one of their Higher Grades along with the Royal Irish and the Rosslare Royal Irish. I would also place it along with that other higher grade rarity the Celtic series.|They also stamped some mid range pipes with the mark 'SHANNON'. This was only for pipes issued and sold from Shannon airport and was not the same as the present day Shannon series. In over 150 years now, Peterson has literally been "on everyone's lips".}