French Estates: GBD 5th Avenue Smooth Bent Dublin (1641) Tobacco Pipe

GBD was established in 1850 in Paris, France, its name the initials of its founders, Ganneval, Bondier, and Donninger, and the company was originally dedicated to the manufacture of meerschaum pipes. After a number of name changes thanks to the rather unstable company hierarchy, which saw Bondier as the only remaining original member of the brand's eponymous triumvirate, August Marechal and Ferdinand Ruchon began to run GBD's main operations. The first 40 years of the marque's existence were marked by 15 medals of achievement for their various pipe-making innovations across multiple international fairs, firmly establishing GBD as one of the preeminent pipe manufacturers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1902, however, GBD was sold to A. Oppenheimer & Co. in London, expanding its manufacturing to England and also introducing briar pipes to its portfolio. Over the next century, Oppenheimer & Co. would acquire other such iconic brands as BBB, Orlik, Loewe & Co., and Comoy's and further cement GBD's name into pipe-making history. Since the 1980s, however, GBD's production has been handled by Cadogan, continuing the marque's pipe-making legacy into the 21st century. GBD is well known for its timeless shaping style, with most of the brand’s pipes displaying balanced proportions and classic outlines, and they're available in a range of signature finishes and series that can include more modern features such as the brand’s iconic Perspex acrylic stems.