"Unusual Pipes" No. 4

I'm not sure what to call this particular pipe. I'm inclined to think of a canoe or a slipper but it really is just...unusual!

I like the strips of smooth briar against the dark rusticated wood. This must have taken a very long time to create.

"Unusual Pipes" No. 3

This is a Viprati pipe and it has one of the finest displays of straight grain that I've ever seen. This is the "pipe side" of the piece. You can see the awesome grain pattern on the bowl walls and the silver extention. There is a thin layer of briar spread over the back of the pipe shape that acts like a canvas for the celebration of the grain on the other side which is here:

Is that a beautiful sight or what? It just makes me want to burst into song..."Amazing grain...how sweet the lines....."

The Ultimate Cross-Grain

I did not feel that this particular pipe fell into the "Unusual" category but is more of an "Ultimate". This pipe was made by Luigi Viprati and it is a huge piece with the finest cross-grain I have ever seen. Luigi really shows the grain patterns well by putting the straight grain on the rim of the bowl and the walls all superior birds-eye. I am not sure, but the stem looks like it may be made of genuine Amber. The pipe is spruced up even more by the implementation of a silver extention.

I hope you enjoy this magnificent specimen of briar.

Unusual Pipes No. 2"

Being the Fourth of July, I thought I would stick with the theme and present this pipe for the "Unusual Pipes" feature. I am not sure who made this pipe but the only visible nomenclature is "USA". This would be a perfect pipe to be smoking today while watching some fireworks or at a BBQ.

"Unusual Pipes" No. 1

Welcome to a new feature I would like to present here called "Unusual Pipes". I want to share photos of pipes that are prime examples of thinking outside the box. So without further ado, here is our first one!

This is called a "Liberty Bell" pipe and it was made to celebrate the American Bicentennial back in 1976. I'm not sure who exactly made this pipe, but it is certainly unique!

New Pipe Information Resource

A friend of mine recently started a great new site for compiling vast information on pipes, tobacco and the hobby of pipesmoking. Check out The Pipe Filter!

New Acquisition for 06/28/2007 Part 2

Wow! Two new pipes in one day! This one is an exquisite piece handmade by Italian master Luigi Viprati. This pipe has a natural finish with some beautiful grain, a horn shank band, silver shank extention, a virgin bowl and an elegant white stem. What a truly immaculate piece of art to be added to the collection!

New Acquisition for 06/28/2007

Another Boswell is added to the family with this gorgeous custom freehand! Handmade acrylic stem, natural plateaux rim and some nice grain are featured on this big beauty!

New Acquisition for 06/17/2007

I saw this Wessex bent billiard in the display case at the local JR Cigar and had to have it. I have two other Wessex Cumberland pipes and they are great smokers. I love the shape on this one.

Of Mixture and Bliss

When I was younger and living in a big city I used to love sitting in a living room window, sipping fresh imported coffee, smoking some Mac Baren Mixture, listening to jazz and looking out at a gorgeous sunny day. It was my utopia...my definition of pure bliss. My favorite Mixture pipe has always been a medium-sized Winslow Crown 300 freehand. It has always provided a perfect smoke and could bring out the best flavors that Mixture has to offer. It felt perfect in my hand and was pleasing to my eye.

Many things have happened since those days. I no longer live in the city, I have a family now, I have survived September 11, 2001, a few medical emergencies, a battle with cancer and I have matured. My tastes in pipe tobaccos have matured greatly since then and Mixture is no longer a staple in my tobacco inventory. I have since moved on to blends that have more strength, variety and subtle nuances of flavors.

I have often thought of my days with my Winslow and Mixture. The times were simpler then and life was an exciting adventure. Those many "window smokes" brought great comfort and enhanced the beuty of those gorgeous sunny days in the city.

This afternoon as I sit by the window of my home in the "burbs", I am sipping some fresh imported coffee, listening to the same cds I did back then and smoking some Mac Baren Mixture in my Winslow Crown 300. The day is a dry 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.