Pipe Identification: "Lu.Co,W"

[benfarhner]

It's been a while since I've been on here! Getting back into pipes now that I have some more free time.

I picked up a pretty cool pipe at an antique mall last week, an uncommon style I believe is called Tyrolean. The tag said it was a vintage German pipe, but it's stamped with "BRUYERE GARANTIE" which is French.

I can't find the maker's mark anywhere, though. Has anyone seen this before? It appears to be "Lu.Co,W" in a rectangle, the "o" superscript and underlined.

[Alden]

"BRUYERE GARANTIE" is almost certainly the maker. They made pipes for a long time, and made lots in this style.
The other stamp is new to me, never seen it.

[W.Pastuch]

Bruyere Garantie is not the maker, as it is not a name. It means simply Guaranteed Briar in French (other versions depending on the country of origin, or rather target market are Echt Bruyere, Real Briar, etc.) and yes, you can see it on a lot of cheap/no name pipes from all eras.
As to the maker's stamp "Lu.Co,W", I've never seen it either.

[Alden]

Bruyere Garantie is not the maker, as it is not a name. It means simply Guaranteed Briar in French (other versions depending on the country of origin, or rather target market are Echt Bruyere, Real Briar, etc.) and yes, you can see it on a lot of cheap/no name pipes from all eras.
As to the maker's stamp "Lu.Co,W", I've never seen it either.

I'm sure you're right about some of them, but you will find hundreds of them with the same stamp and same style used. I always figured they were the same line and bruyere garantie was the name of it. Sort of the way Brylon is the name for a line of pipes and a description of its material.
Either way, a huge number of pipes stamped bruyere garantie come from a single source whether they intend it as a name for the line or just a description of its material.

[benfarhner]

Thanks, guys. I've seen "Bruyère Garantie" stamped on other makes of pipes, but I figured being French it might help narrow down who the maker of this pipe might be.

Very strange... I've looked through several lists of pipe makers online now and I can't find anything even similar to this "Lu.Co,W" stamp.

[DMI]

Being in europe I see a lot of these.

If you have never researched pipemaking factories I suggest you spend some time researching St.Claude in France where ZILLIONS of pipes have been made in little factories. Some of the streets were production lines, in the first house would be a bowl maker, No.2 a stemmer, No.3 Sanding and dying etc. Someone posted a civil war pic a while ago and most of the pipes in it probably came from St.Claude.

Lu&Co W Is in all probability a shop in Vienna (W= Wein=Vienna)

The BG stamping first starts to appear during 1914-18 war when a lot of pipes were being made out of Fruit wood and painted dark brown/black. During the depression between the wars the practice continued with other countries adopting the practice (as an example WW1 is when Peterson started making clay and bog oak pipes).

Your pipe probably dates from the 60's or 70's and is of 'tourist quality' the nylon cord and and cheap (? on copper) bands give this away.

I have had dozens of these things and generally they end up on the fire.

David.