In 1863 Frederick Charatan, a Russian / Jewish immigrant, opened a shop in Mansell Street, lin Tower Hamlets, London, where he carved Meerschaum pipes. These pipes were very popular so Charatan moved to a bigger workshop in Prescot Street. Here he began to make briar pipes which became famous the world over. Charatan was the first brand to make entirely hand-made briars from the rough block to the finished pipe including the stems. The nomenclature "Charatan's make" refers to this method of production.
Charatan was approached by Alfred Dunhill who was dissatisfied with the quality of the pipes he imported from France. During 1908 - 1910 Dunhill bought pipes from Charatan at exorbitant prices to make he had some of the best pipes for sale in England. In 1910 he employed Joel Sasieni, one of Charatan's best carvers, and opened his own small pipe workshop on 28 Duke Street.On the retirement of his father in 1910 Reuben Charatan took over the family business. Reuben Charatan passed away in 1962, and his widow sold the firm to Herman Lane. In 1978 Lane's heirs sold the Charatan company to Dunhill who eventually sold it to James B Russell. Russell went out of business in 2002 and Dunhill purchased the rights to Charatan once again. Today Charatan pipes are made at the Dunhill factory in East London.
