Catalogus Gambier (Hasslauer & Fiolet), 1840. Givet (Fa)

The oldest known Gambier catalogue, dating to approximately 1840, as indicated by references to the company’s participation in exhibitions in 1839. The catalogue has illustrations of 287 pipes, divided into 11 series of stemmed pipes and 6 series of stub stemmed pipes. The highest model number is 455. This catalogue belongs to a period during which the smooth “Hollandaises” still occupied an important place, but were gradually being supplanted by fully figural pipes. A large number of plain stemmed pipes remained available, while figural stub stemmed pipes were already becoming increasingly prominent. The figural stemmed pipes still differ from the later “fantaisies.” They are predominantly face pipes with a considerable stem length of approximately 25.5 cm and a cut stem end. The later figural stemmed pipes—referred to as “fantaisies” in the catalogue of 1868—have shorter stems (around 12 cm) and a mouthpiece with a knob. This type of mouthpiece was still exceptional around 1840, which is evidenced by the separate mention of three models with a stem end “à bouton” (nos. 40bis, 41bis, and 200). A distinct group is formed by the “Têtes de pipes en terre rouge de Constantinople.” This group consists of several Hongroises and a number of models based on the Turkish çubuk. With the exception of the 1908 catalogue, this group does not reappear in later catalogues. In the 1908 catalogue, however, three Hongroise models (nos. 2014, 2015, and 2016) are illustrated, resembling numbers 205 and 206 from the 1840 catalogue. Collection David Higgins. collectie David Higgins

Reference : https://www.gambierpipes.com/catalogi/