Peterson’s Patent Pipes: A Facsimile of the 1906 Catalogue Book by Mark Irwin

• Author: Mark Irwin
• Title: Peterson’s Patent Pipes: A Facsimile of the 1906 Catalogue
• Format: Paperback
• Subject: Pipe history / Peterson archive material
• Content: Reproduction of the original 1906 Kapp & Peterson catalogue
• Language: English

This is one of those books that feels less like reading material and more like a piece of the hobby itself.

What you’ve got here is a full facsimile of Peterson’s 1906 catalogue — reproduced at original scale, properly restored, and presented exactly as it would have been seen at the time. Shapes, systems, and early design thinking, all laid out in that wonderfully confident early 20th century style.

There’s something particularly satisfying about seeing where it all started. The roots of the shapes are there, the thinking behind the Patent System is there, and you begin to understand just how much of modern Peterson design still leans on what was established over a century ago.

It’s not just nostalgia either — it’s useful. If you’ve ever compared shapes, wondered about proportions, or simply wanted to see how little (and how much) has changed, this gives you the reference point.

A proper companion piece for anyone who owns — or is thinking about owning — a Peterson.

If that’s the case, you can explore the current range here: Peterson Pipes