Description
Rare Pre-War Early 1920’s Sasieni One Dot Bowler Estate Pipe.
An antique, quality estate pipe in the bowler (Prince-type) shape by renowned pipe makers Sasieni. Stamped “Sasieni” with the early flourish “fish” on the ‘i’. The elaborate script with the tail of the final “i” sweeping back under the name is characteristic of Joel Sasieni’s earliest production. The one dot on the stem and patent no.150221/20 on the shank identifies it as a rare early 1920’s model for the U.S. export market. The single dot was replaced in 1924 by four dots to avoid trademark conflicts with Dunhill. Also stamped to the shank “London Made” and “SSA”, possibly an internal production or distribution mark used on a limited run. The original patented stinger (a small metal condenser extending from the tenon) is present. In remarkably good condition for it’s age. Kindly view images above to assess authenticity and condition.
The first decade of Sasieni (19191929) is regarded by many collectors as the company’s formative and most innovative period. During these years, Joel Sasieni established a reputation for engineering excellence that allowed his pipes to compete directly with the finest English makers.
1919: The founding
Joel Sasieni founded the Sasieni Pipe Company in London in 1919 after gaining extensive experience at both Charatan and Alfred Dunhill Ltd.. At Dunhill, he had become a highly skilled production manager and developed a deep understanding of briar selection, curing, and manufacturing. His ambition was to build pipes that equaledor surpassedthose of his former employer.
19191921: Innovation in briar curing
One of Joel Sasieni’s earliest contributions was a patented method for oven-curing briar. Instead of relying solely on traditional air seasoning, the bowls were heated over several weeks to drive out moisture, sap, and oils. Sasieni advertised that these pipes required little or no “breaking in” and produced a cooler, drier smoke from the outset. This curing process became one of the company’s principal selling points.
The blue-dot controversy
Sasieni initially marked his pipes with a single blue dot on the mouthpiece, an obvious counterpart to Dunhill’s famous white dot. Alfred Dunhill objected, leading to legal action in Britain and the United States. For a brief period Sasieni experimented with placing the blue dot on the side of the stem, but this did not resolve the dispute.
1924: Birth of the Four Dot
By about 1924, a settlement resulted in Sasieni adopting the now-famous Four Dot logo: four small blue dots arranged in an elongated diamond on the stem.
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