Pipes created by the
William Demuth Company are characterized by their brand stamp of WDC inside of an inverted triangle. This logo is usually found embossed into the velvet lining of a pipe's case.
William Demuth. (1835-1911), a native of Germany, entered the United States at the age of 16 as a penniless immigrant. Working a series of odd jobs his work as a clerk in the import business of a tobacco tradesman in New York City led to his future career. In 1862 William established the William Demuth Company (WDC) in the Big Apple; specializing in the production of smoking pipes, smoker's requisites, cigar-store Indians, canes and other carved objects. They produced meerschaum as well as briar pipes.
The Demuth Company is probably well known for the famous trademark, WDC in an inverted equilateral triangle. The configuration of the letters often leads present day viewers to incorrectly assume the initials are WCD.
William is well known for the figurative meerschaum Presidential series, hand-carved likenesses of John Adams, the second president of the United States. (1797-1801) to Herbert Hoover, the 30th president (1929-1933), as well as "Columbus Landing in America," a 32-inch long centennial meerschaum masterpiece made in America that took two years to complete.
The Presidential series was the result of Demuth's friendship with President James A. Garfield, a connoisseur of meerschaum pipes. Demuth presented two pipes to Garfield at his inauguration in 1881, one in his likeness, the other in the likeness of the President's wife. Later, Demuth arranged for another figurative matching the others to be added to the collection as each new president acceded to the White House, terminating with President Hoover.
One of WDC's most popular, and heavily advertised at the time, pipes was the Wellington. This bent pipe is an almost identical design to the Petersen system pipes and are considered by many to be very good smoking pipes.
The Encyclopedia of American Folk Art (View reference in Google Books) proclaims that "by hiring woodcarvers, Demuth encouraged the development of their craft, based manufactured models on their carvings, and introduced to a wider audience the beauty of shop figures."
A Brief History
1862 - Company formed by William Demuth (1835-1911)
1881 - Demuth presents innauguration gift of two pipes to newly sworn-in Presidentl James A. Garfield. The pair of pipes were in the likeness of Garfield and his wife.
1911 - William Demuth dies
1937 - WDC Company purchased by S.M. Frank
1972 - WDC brand disappears when the brand is liquidated.