Basil Rathbone's Peterson

[bent bulldog]

O.K. Brethren here's a question that has been driving me crazy for years and hopefully one of you historian types can provide an answer. I have been a fanatical viewer of the Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes movies for decades and have also become quite familiar with Peterson pipes from my years of owning and operating a pipe shop. One of the reasons I took up the pipe back in the 1960's was because of the Holmes movies. In those movies Rathbone smokes a system pipe that appears to be a #309 shape but unlike every other system pipe I have ever seen his pipe has a tapered mouthpiece with the requisite Peterson lip button. All the ones I have ever encountered, and they are in the hundreds, have the step down, saddle style mouthpiece. Any suggestions as to the origin of that mouthpiece that Basil uses? Maybe it was custom made for some reason. What do you guys think?

 

[williamcharles]

Are you sure it's a Pete. He smoked several pipes during the filming of those movies and some were from different makers. Not all were Petes. Just asking.

 

[Briar Spirit]

You may find this of interest chap: http://www.neatpipes.com/blog/the-pipes-of-basil-rathbones-sherlock-holmes-a-visual-essay/&id=70

 

[bent bulldog]

Thanks so much to Briarspirit for the link to the article which answered my question concerning the pipe Rathbone smoked in the films. As a side note, the mention of the Custombilt looking pipe that Captain Simpson smoked in The House of Fear probably was just that. For years I wondered about that pipe as well and just recently realized (duh!) that these productions certainly felt British but, of course they were all filmed here in the U.S so it is not unusual that one of the characters would be smoking an American made pipe such as a Custombilt. In fact I would be surprised is there were ever many Custombilt pipes in England during the 1940's. Again, thanks Briarspirit for the link.
s

 

[Briar Spirit]

Very welcome Buddy.  :sunny: 

 

[JimInks]

You may find this of interest chap: http://www.neatpipes.com/blog/the-pipes-of-basil-rathbones-sherlock-holmes-a-visual-essay/&id=70

Thank you for the great link. I shared it on a few pages. Btw, can you help find the link to the previous entries regarding the Sherlock Holmes pipes in this series?

 

[Briar Spirit]

Absolutely my friend, you'll find all of his Sherlock related Weblogs here: http://www.neatpipes.com/blog/list/diary-of-a-mad-padster/&id=1

 

[JimInks]

Absolutely my friend, you'll find all of his Sherlock related Weblogs here: http://www.neatpipes.com/blog/list/diary-of-a-mad-padster/&id=1

Many thanks to you, pipe brother!

 

[Briar Spirit]

Many thanks to you, pipe brother!

You are most welcome my friend.  :sunny: 

 

[docwatson]

Thanks gentlemen for an excellent thread with the links to the great stories concerning Basil's pipes.
Being fond of Peterson Pipes and having some handmade by Paddy Larrigan himself the stories and information are treasures.
 :cheers:

 

[Briar Spirit]

Thanks gentlemen for an excellent thread with the links to the great stories concerning Basil's pipes.
Being fond of Peterson Pipes and having some handmade by Paddy Larrigan himself the stories and information are treasures.
 :cheers:

Very welcome Doc, my passion for Holmes was sparked by my late Brother buying me a Peterson Baskerville for a birthday gift, sadly it was stolen in a restaurant in London shortly after he gave it to me but it still sparked an interested in Holmes for me, Basil was fantastic wasn't he.  :sunny: 

 

[DrT999]

This thread inspired me to rewatch 'SH & the House of Fear' -- certainly a fun movie! I'm not sure if I'd like Capt. Simpson's blend (Havanna -- presumably cigar leaf -- and Jamaica rum)