GBD pipes have been around for a very long time. In 1850 three men got together in Paris to form a Meerschaum pipe manufacturer. They were Ganneval, Bondier and Donninger, hence GBD!

Ganneval came from Saint-Claude, where he learned how to make wooden pipes. Bondier came originally from Paris, but had emigrated to Geneva. He had previously worked as a wood turner in the pipe making industry in Saint-Claude, making stem extensions. Donninger was Austrian and had worked in Vienna. The three of them agreed on the name GBD, selecting the initials of their surnames.

The three owners of GBD soon realised what advantages briar wood had for tobacco pipes. It wasn't long before briar pipes overcame the Meerschaums as the main material in pipe making. Their reputation and level of business developed very quickly, during their first forty years of trading GBD won fifteen medals of achievement at international fairs worldwide. This really helped to introduce the brand successfully, not just in Europe, but also the USA, Canada and Australia.

the early GBD pipes were only made in a single grade in terms of the quality of wood, and although later on a second was added, they only offered a limited number of finishes. However, towards the end of the ninteenth century demand changed. As an example, British smokers preferred darker stainings. More varied customer demands made the introduction of additional pipe ranges necessary. Early examples are GBD Xtra and GBD Special, which both had special final treatments and fittings. Standard quality pipes were simply stamped with GBD.

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