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News for Monday, March 8th |
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It's Monday and the lads of the White Spot have returned with a retinue of a dashing duodenary. For those whose taste in color run to the adumbral, we have 3 Shell Briars, including a less often seen Group 5 billiard with saddle bit, a Black Briar (with horn), as well as a Group 1 Dress pot. For the gent who favors a more sanguinary shade, you really must see the first Ruby Bark saddle apple that we have ever received, and the 3 Bruyeres of the evening include a saddle pot and a Group 2 billiard. The Cumberland man will find two beautifully grained specimens, including a Quaint that sports what may well be my personal favorite Dunhill shape. Tonight's Dunhill update closes with a Group 4 Root Briar chimney, a grand finale, indeed!
No fewer than four dozen fresh Savinelli pipes are ready for your inspection. Along with the "usual suspects," such as the Hercules series (both smooth and rusticated), the Baronet Bruyere, the Trevi (again, both smooth and rusticated), the Roma, Sigla, and the Black and White Favorites, we have the welcome return of a couple of the series that have been absent for a bit; The Giotto, and the Panama. The former is named after Giotto di Bondone, a thirteenth century Florentine painter and architect that did more than any other to propel the early Renaissance. The latter is a most elegant series, one whose shapes fashion a decadently rich walnut stain and are crowned with a striking (and practical) rim guard. As long as you are in the neighborhood, check out the Solaria and Nonpareil!
"Systems, and Shannons, and Saints (Oh my!). As another Monday rolls around, so roll yet another 72 pipes, from the iconic firm of Peterson of Dublin. As you probably surmised from the opening sentence, a lot of fresh System pipes, Shannons, and 2010 St. Patrick's Day pipes just went up. As a quick aside; this year's St. Patrick's Day pipe is a bit of a cut above those of the previous five years. The stain has a certain, yet hard to verbalize extra richness, contrast, and depth of gloss. The grain on these pipes also tend to run well above what I consider as average for this long running annual series. Most exciting, at least to me, is that Peterson seems to be using the 2010 St. Patrick's Day pipe as a launching platform for bringing in shapes that heretofore have only appeared in one other series, as well as introducing new shapes altogether! We also have armies of Arans, divisions of Donegal, and...um...LOTS of Killarneys (really can't come up with a battle unit size that starts with a "K"), and the latter are available in both the original Ruby, as well as the Dress Black. Tonight's a great night to be a fan of the Pete, then again, it's always good to be a "Peterson Man".
Crafted under the marque that is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer of briars in the world; a marque that features classic shapes, solid drilling, good draft hole placement, a vulcanite bit and now, a price that reflects almost 40% off of suggested retail. Needless to say, our roughly four month old Comoy's sale has been met with resounding approval (if it's needless to point out, why is this dork doing so? Well, cuz I'm a dork). And your approval is our happiness and motivation. There's only one fly in the ointment...we're beginning to run out of them. Tonight's Comoy's update is comprised of 11 Virgins, and one Tiger's Eye. While intellectually I understand that these are just series names, with 11 Virgins and a tiger in one spot, part of me wants to yell, "Get that tiger out of there!" The other part wants to grab some popcorn and see what happens.
The Lampe Berger has been enthusiastically embraced by our customers, something that should come as little surprise. This is one product that seems to have been tailor-made for our needs. When one can acquire a fine decorating accessory, an object d'art which will remove all traces of lingering smoke from one's digs for up to 30 hours, with as little as 20 minutes of use, you don't have to talk them up very much. Or at all. Tonight we premiere two new Lampes; The Nico and Nicholas, and The Corolla. The former features the work of Rosina Wachtmeister, an Austrian artist whose whimsical paintings draw one into a world that combines daydreams and charm, with the uncomplicated nature of daily life. The Corolla is a Lampe Berger original, which, much like the Athena, hails from their Color Mood collection. Slightly opaque and smoky of hue, this timeless form features a universal appeal and will seamlessly accentuate any existing decor.
Last week we introduced the Gloredo pipe cleaners, and your response was amazing! Sykes gave us the go-ahead to make these "cut above" cleaners available in a cost reducing box quantity. By purchasing a box, you'll realize almost a 30 cent per bundle savings!
News for Monday, March 8th, 2010 written by Bear Graves.
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News for Thursday, March 4th
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Jeff Gracik, owner and sole carver of J. Alan pipes, has honored us with another 4 of his world class pipes. Living in the San Diego area, Jeff has a personal affinity for water, and often his inspiration for a shape will be derived from objects that appear juxtaposed against the same. And so it goes with all 4 of tonight's compositions; we have two swans (one sandblasted, and one smooth), a Lotus, and a smooth squashed tomato! (Pauses, realizing that unless he can make a tenuous connection to the aquatic, perhaps a sailor tossing a squashed tomato overboard, the whole "theme" concept is null. Evaluating the intelligence of his customers...yeah, he's screwed). Ok, let's forget any tie-in to that last one (coughs). The tomato is one of my favorite shapes, and I consider myself one of the world's toughest customers to please when it comes to their execution. Having said that, Jeff probably has just created what I consider to be the most beautiful and advanced interpretation on the form that I have ever seen...bar none. The Swans, much like their namesake, are the very embodiment of unaffected grace, and the Lotus, my first sighting of a form which I believe will enter the pantheon of "greatest signature/original shapes," really has to be seen to believed.
I must confess, when I started working for Smokingpipes in 4/05, I wasn't familiar with Lasse's work. In my (granted, feeble) defense, I had missed the 2004 Chicago show where Lasse made his U.S. debut, and sold 75 of the 75 pipes he had brought to exhibit. I had also just come from a part-time side job, working in a pipe shop (nothing like getting an employee discount for two hours of labor a week) where Stanwells were considered our most "exotic" pipe brand. The second that I started describing Lasse's work, I was more than impressed, I was amazed. Moreover, virtually no update went by where I didn't notice at least some subtle, incremental advancement. Then suddenly, last year, we saw a breathtaking leap in Lasse's shapes (the fact that he was now sharing a workshop with the legendary Teddy Knudsen, was probably a mere coincidence (coughs)). The young Dane's work moved from "imaginative shaping, great eye, incredible value," to "near neo-classical perfection, this pipe should cost FAR more than he's asking." Well folks, after three excruciatingly long months, Lasse is back, and for tonight's update, he has brought a full half dozen from his "murder's row." All six presentations are sandblasted, and while the shapes offer a fine diversity, all feature a mastery of shaping that one would expect from a carver entering his third decade, as well as a grain that pushes the limit on what man and nature are capable of producing. Prices start in the mid twos. Personally, I'm thinking that I had better start collecting...fast (before one of his peers asks, "About your prices? WAKE UP!!."
Tonight's fresh dozen, from the dauntingly dexterous, dynamic duo of Dorelio and Damiano Rovera, primarily concentrates on the Urano finish, but the Giove and Alveare have beautiful representation as well. While observing that a given Ardor update features a dazzlingly wide choice of shapes is roughly on par with noting that NFL linemen tend to be a bit larger than the U.S. population as a whole, tonight's diversity is exceptionally delightful. From a Urano Giant horn that seems almost as large as its finish's namesake, to chubby apples and balls that are so charming, I am tempted to say, "But...but, they followed me home!" Whatever you do, don't miss tonight's briars from the Fantasy lineup; this singular series is continuing to move at warp speed, and you needn't purchase a ticket to follow the journey.
Ser Jacopo has stood as a star player within our lineup since long before I joined the company. Normally, one would not expect a high grade, handmade Italian pipe, to occupy the number four spot in brand popularity (out of 50 and trailing only Peterson, Stanwell, and Tsuge). And if you were to eliminate the numbers that have resulted from the blow-out sales we occasionally feature from Tsuge, Ser Jacopo is number three, with the number four brand a good deal behind. It's not difficult to account for the perennial popularity. Ser Jacopo is considered thepremiere marque of the Pesaro pipe tradition (heck, the carver, Giancarlo Guidi is the acknowledged founder). Every shape in the company's repertoire is the embodiment of elegance, and Giancarlo's drilling is an industry benchmark. And yes, the fact that your favorite tobacconist's every day sales price is only 65% of suggested retail, probably isn't hindering the brand's sales ascendency. Tonight we have another 9 Ser Jacopos ready for your inspection, and the presentations include the first Kalabash that I have seen from Giancarlo that features a sterling, military style mount, pipes from the Picta Van Gough series, an amazing advancement in the cherrywood-sitter shape and the first La Pipaccia 01 that I have seen. A pipe that has not only won the number one spot in my heart for the series, but competes as one of my favorite shapes from Giancarlo...period.
Geologists call it hydrous magnesium silicate and a chemistry professor might write in on the chalkboard as H4Mg2Si3O10. In common pipe parlance it is known as "meerschaum," and more than a few pipe smokers call it "the best medium in which to enjoy tobacco." Taking absolutely nothing away from the noble briar, meerschaum does not impart its own taste to a smoke, and there are some who will only evaluate a new tobacco in a meer (much as a sommelier uses a tastevin). Then again, you could be like me and just enjoy the smoke and nifty carving (shrugs). This week, we present another nine, hand carved, Turkish beauties. The shapes are all over the place; from a conservative lattice poker, to dazzling blowfish and squat tomato with silver. With the legendary IMP attention to drilling and engineering, you can purchase a meerschaum with an utter confidence that your new pipe will smoke as good as it looks.
For those of us who are on a budget (and, really, who isn't?), the good news is that a quick perusal of our site will reveal no shortage of quality pipes that are available for less than $100. In fact, there are literally hundreds available in our new section alone. For the collector who appreciates that "certain something" that comes part and parcel with the hand-shaped product, it narrows down the field, considerably. We carry eight lines of pipes (excluding the one-shot, limited offerings) that start at well below the century mark. If we toss in "hand-shaped" as a limiter, that number comes down to three brands, one of which is meerschaum. Johs pipes are crafted entirely by hand from Mimmo briar by Mogens "Johs" Johansen, and we have just added another dozen of his extremely popular pipes to inventory. The shapes of this evening slew towards two distinctly different aesthetics; the freehand and the more conservative billiard. The best part about the Johs briar is that one doesn't have to make allowances on quality in order to get a great pipe at a fair price. Tonight's dozen are all immaculately grained, and nary a pipe exceeds the $70 price mark. 'Nuff said?
Neerup pipes continue to show the same, unflagging popularity as shaved ice on a hot Hawaiian beach. Crafted by Peder Jeppesen, an artist who was mentored by Erik Nording, and who can boast nearly two decades of carving experience, the Neerup briar is geared towards those who favor the artisanal Danish pipe, but don't want to have to ebay their entire baseball card collection in order to own one. We have another 12 Neerup briars for your perusal tonight, and that dozen features pipes from the Classic line (1-4) and the Selection (2-3), as well as one of Peder's hand shaped Easy Cut briars.
For those of you who remember the movie The Jerk, starring Steve Martin, one of the (very) few funny scenes was when Nathan discovers a door step drop-off, picks it up, and runs around yelling "The new phone book is here!" I just kind of did that (replacing "phone book" with "Zebranos") upon seeing that we had received some of these lovelies from Stanwell for tonight's update. While the Zebrano briars aren't the most expensive pipes in the Stanwell lineup, they possess some of the most consistently beautiful grain, as well as a handsome zebrawood inlay that is the inspiration for their series name. We were getting all too low for my comfort on Zebranos, and fully half of tonight's Stanwell update of 24 consists of this dapper and affordable pipe. The other series include the Colonial, the Majestic, and we have a Legend and a Vario as well. The redoubtable Cosmo Iannopollo did the honors of describing tonight's Stanwells, and did an excellent job. Perhaps TOO excellent, I'm getting the feeling that between the writing talents of Cosmo and Eric, my next set of employment phrases might include "Will that be just the sandwich, or would you like that as a value meal?"...
Estate sales continue to soar, thus instead of 72, there's now 84! That's right, tonight your favorite tobacconist has just placed a full seven dozen freshly refurbished estates on the site, with prices beginning at just $35! Tonight's "contest for the crown" wasn't even close, with Italian estates coming in with no fewer than 24 briars. Bella Italia is represented by Ascorti, Mastro de Paja, Radice, Don Carlos, Cavicchi, Caminetto, and Tonino Jacono. There are also some fine Castellos (don't miss the Collection Greatline Fiammata and Occhio di Pernice!), and Ser Jacopo has several offerings, led by a Unigena Shelby Maxima. Taking the Silver, over the Dane's Bronze, England features a phalanx of pipes from Dunhill, Ashton (check out the LX Pebble Grain canadian and the Gilt Edge), and we have Lane-era Charatans, Ferndowns, and pipes from Sasieni. The Vikings are well represented by such carvers as Celius, S. Bang, Heeschen, Kai Nielsen, Lasse Skovgaard, Anne Julie, Stanwell, Nording and we even have a Teddy Knudsen Eagle Grade up on the block. I sure wish that we could break out our categories in some other method, for (at least to my ear) "Miscellaneous" sounds like "the strays and floor sweepings," and pipes such as tonight's incredible Joao Reis Giant bent dublin, with mastodon ivory, seem like they deserve better. The Reis is joined by a slew of meerschaum from the likes of Ismet Bekler, Ismail and S. Yanik. For the truly novel, check out the vintage GBD meerschaum and Jobert Wild Mopane. The good old U.S. of A features briars from Brian Ruthenberg, Steve Weiner, and David Jones, and you really must see the unsmoked S&R Straight Grain and the Perry Giant freehand, with horn. France has four pipes, led by an unsmoked Chacom Grand Cru bent dublin, and Nihon presents a Kenichiro Sakurai smooth shield, as well as two unsmoked vintage Hiroyuki Tokutomi sandblasts; a tomato with bamboo, and one of his amazing blowfish!
News for Thursday, March 4th, 2010 written by Bear Graves.
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