Butz-Choquin St Claude 1635 Dublin Sitter Smooth Estate Pipe

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BUTZ-CHOQUIN 1635 DUBLIN SITTER SMOOTH STRAIGHT - SAINT-CLAUDE PRODUCTION

This is a straight-shank Dublin sitter by Butz-Choquin, stamped 1635, finished in smooth briar with a vulcanite saddle stem and fishtail mouthpiece. The pipe carries the maker's standard Saint-Claude mark and presents as a mid-century estate piece in fair condition, showing honest use including light staining, surface scratches, denting in the briar, and tooth marks on the stem. The oval shank mount and proportions place this squarely in BC's catalog of everyday smokers - a working pipe, not a display piece, but one whose lineage runs back to 1858 and the founding partnership of Jean-Baptiste Choquin and Gustave Butz in Metz.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT - BUTZ-CHOQUIN AND THE SAINT-CLAUDE TRANSITION

Butz-Choquin began in 1858 when Gustave Butz, a workman and son-in-law, partnered with tobacconist Jean-Baptiste Choquin to craft the CHOQUIN pipe - a bent-bowl design with a distinctive hollow albatross-bone extension fixed with silver rings, known as the Origine model. That design became iconic; the painter Corot smoked one, and Butz-Choquin used Nadar's photograph of it in their own advertising. The brand built its reputation on hand-crafted briar and innovative stem engineering.

For decades before 1951, Butz-Choquin pipes were crafted and distributed by various makers, including Berrod-Regad itself, which operated as an independent carver and assembler. In 1951, Berrod-Regad acquired the Butz-Choquin trademark outright, and production relocated from Metz to Saint-Claude - France's pipe-making capital in the Jura. This transition is crucial for dating and understanding pipe marks. Pipes stamped with the arched 'Butz Choquin / A Metz' WITHOUT Saint-Claude wording are pre-1951 Metz pipes, often sought by collectors for their earlier manufacture. Pipes with 'Butz-Choquin' on the left and 'St Claude France' with shape number on the right are post-1951 Saint-Claude production under Berrod-Regad ownership.

From 1951 onward, Butz-Choquin expanded its range from 10 to 70 shapes, marking entry into the French export market in 1960 and winning recognition as a symbol of French taste. Jean-Paul Berrod managed the line from 1969 to 2002; Fabien Guichon (a Saint-Claude native) acquired it in 2002; and Denis Blanc, owner of EWA and a key figure in modern French pipe revival, took control of S.A. Berrod-Regad in 2006. Throughout these ownership changes, carvers including Paul Lanier and Alain Albuisson (both Maitre Pipier registry holders) shaped the Collection line and other prestige series. Designer Joe Colombo contributed the 'Optimal' series in the 1960s, registered design numbers 154217 and 154221. The 1635 model, stamped on this pipe, falls within the mid-century catalog expansion and represents Butz-Choquin's core offering: reliable, well-proportioned smokers without pretension.

GRADING AND MARKS

Stamping:
- Left flank: 'BUTZ-CHOQUIN' (maker name)
- Right flank: 'ST CLAUDE FRANCE' (origin and post-1951 attribution) and '1635' (shape number)
- Absence of 'A Metz' wording confirms Saint-Claude production era

No grade stars or Collection designation are noted, placing this in the standard production line rather than the premium graded Collection.

SHAPE ANALYSIS - DUBLIN SITTER, STRAIGHT SHANK, OVAL MOUNT

The seller identifies this as a Dublin sitter, a shape characterized by a compact, upright bowl seated on a horizontal shank - designed to rest comfortably on a table or in the hand without rotation. The 1635 delivers this in a straightforward manner: the bowl sits upright, the shank runs horizontally straight from the bowl underside, and an oval cross-section metal mount (likely nickel or chrome-plated brass) connects shank to stem. The vulcanite saddle stem - a curved piece with a downward-facing saddle that rests on the inner rim of the shank mount - is a classic Butz-Choquin engineering detail, distributing bite pressure across the stem and reducing stress at the junction. The fishtail mouthpiece (split-tail design) offers a comfortable lip hold and was standard on many mid-century Butz-Choquin smokers. This shape sits comfortably in the working-pipe category: neither a display piece nor a statement. It is built to be smoked, held, and lived with. The proportions - 135 mm overall length, bowl height 48 mm, chamber 20 mm diameter - yield a compact, portable smoker suitable for all-day carry or desk use.

BRIAR AND FINISH

The finish is described as smooth, indicating a polished and buffed surface without carving or sandblast texture. The color is mottled brown and tan, a natural variation arising from the grain structure of the briar burl and the way the finish catches light across grain variations. Smooth finishes on Butz-Choquin pipes showcase the briar itself: the grain, the depth of the wood, and the character of the individual block. The brown-tan palette is typical of Mediterranean or East African briar stocks favored in mid-century French pipe production. Under light, a well-finished smooth briar reveals grain lines, medullary rays, and subtle color shifts that give the pipe visual interest without requiring carving labor. The smooth finish also permits accurate assessment of any repairs or grain breaks - which is both a virtue and a display of honest use. On a working pipe like the 1635, a smooth finish is functional: it is easy to clean, shows no buildup in undercuts, and ages naturally with handling and oxidation.

CONDITION REPORT

The pipe is in fair condition and has been pre-smoked. The briar shows light staining and scattered surface scratches and dents consistent with regular use and handling. The stem exhibits bite marks on its surface. No repairs, fills, or major grain cracks are reported. The saddle mount and fishtail mouthpiece appear intact. The chamber and airway are open and patent. Overall, this is an honest estate pipe: it bears the marks of ownership and smoking, but it is sound, functional, and free of structural damage. Collectors who prize original patina and working history will find this presentation appealing; those seeking a like-new or museum finish should note the fair-condition grade.

DIMENSIONS

- Overall length: 135 mm (5.4 inches)
- Bowl height: 48 mm (1.9 inches)
- Bowl width: 35 mm (1.4 inches)
- Bowl depth: 40 mm (1.6 inches)
- Chamber diameter: 20 mm (0.8 inches)
- Weight: 1.25 ounces

CLOSING

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SKU: SKU-011