I hope it's not a trend for all of their shapes.Subtle differences are what changes a to
All things equal, the ones with the fanciest grain should have been made in the late 1930s.
... But your rambling stream of consciousness writings do not make for cogent reading.
I think Jesse (@sablebrush52) postulated this a while backThe Net's first subject-specific word salad generating AI, maybe?
You must ask yourself when in the last hundred years has the fanciest briar been cheapest.Why would you think that ?
Have you had a look at the pipes put out by Danish artisans since the 1960s and artisans worldwide today ?
Stanwells often have wonderful grain - for a factory pipe.
There are lots and lots of great Britwood factory pipes
And Italians (even though I don't have many)
True, much of my focus is pre-1920's pipes, but I also own lots post-1920 pipes.
I do not think for a moment that good pipe making ceased in the 1930s
Please excuse me if I have misunderstood you.
But your rambling stream of consciousness writings do not make for cogent reading.
There wasn't much emphasis placed on grain pre-1920'sYou must ask yourself when in the last hundred years has the fanciest briar been cheapest.
Thereād have to have been a surplus of the top grades.
The early thirties world wide depression devastated demand for about every luxury.
But the late thirties recovery meant that the very best, and only the best of the best, briar was in demand for luxury pipes.
The above is a late thirties Kaywoodie Flame Grain Dublin #13 that was the most expensive factory pipe in the world in 1937.
A 304 would have had to compete directly with it.
The 904/914/9004/9005 shape didn't come about until the 1950s.All things equal, the ones with the fanciest grain should have been made in the late 1930s
Out of the 40+ 904s I've had, only 6 cost more than $30. What's a 304?I can get my pick of new 304 pipes for about a hundred dollars, a few more and few less, on
I mostly just keep him on ignore.But your rambling stream of consciousness writings do not make for cogent reading.
This looks like I bought a hobby block and decided my first pipe would be a 904 copy.There seems to be a recent shift of change in Savinelli's 904 shape. This appears to be the current rendition shown here on their 2022 St. Nicholas offering that I picked up to hang from the Christmas tree.
View attachment 167229
Gone it seems is the graceful, tall sweeping arc at the front of the bowl as well as the severe transitions from the front to the bottom and the back of the bowl to the shank the bowl is shorter. It seems they've thickened and softened everything that once made the shape catch my eye that had lasted for decades.
View attachment 167231
Problem is I do find his reminiscings of life in a rural community very interesting (being a city boy).I mostly just keep him on ignore.
I don't know that it's true that grain didn't figure into the world of factory pipes before WW2. The earliest examples of Barling YOW's all exhibit very nice grain compared to their other pipes of that period and they had a line of straight grain pipes in the 1930's. Comoy certainly graded for grain, their Prima being an early example of a highly graded pipe, and their Blue Riband was certainly based on quality of grain. Dunhill graded for grain as well.There wasn't much emphasis placed on grain pre-1920's
I have a modest collection of pre-1920s pipes and I'm of the opinion that in the era of factory pipes a well-grained stummel (straight grain or birdseye) was more chance finding rather than a cutter "chasing the grain"
Perhaps those with more experience or extensive collections of pre-1930 pieces may care to comment on when grain did become a saleable "commodity"
Calling on @sablebrush52, @ashdigger, @georged, @virkia
I grew up on a farm. Too many inaccuracies in those tales.Problem is I do find his reminiscings of life in a rural community very interesting (being a city boy).
And if we were to meet in person I would, more likely than not, find him affable and entirely engaging.
+1 Same. Briar lee Iām sure is an enduring character in real life. He reminds me of the movie āBig Fishā.And if we were to meet in person I would, more likely than not, find him affable and entirely engaging.
I freely confess to being a complete, and total propagandist about life a half mile South of Bug Tussle, and not too far from Spout Spring Hollow in Cedar County I couldnāt squirrel hunt there.I grew up on a farm. Too many inaccuracies in those tales.
At first glance I didn't see much of a difference, then it quickly went into "can't unsee it". I'd agree it lost a good part of what made this shape special and elegant to my eyes.There seems to be a recent shift of change in Savinelli's 904 shape. This appears to be the current rendition shown here on their 2022 St. Nicholas offering that I picked up to hang from the Christmas tree.
View attachment 167229
Gone it seems is the graceful, tall sweeping arc at the front of the bowl as well as the severe transitions from the front to the bottom and the back of the bowl to the shank the bowl is shorter. It seems they've thickened and softened everything that once made the shape catch my eye that had lasted for decades.
View attachment 167231
My dad is a hillbilly, but further south and deeper in the Ozarks than @Briar Lee. My dad also has less teeth, not being a lawyer and all. But to your point, yes, boys and gals from the Ozarks tend to be very affable, engaging, and FULL of S...stories. What, you thought I was going to say something else? Well, they are full of that too, I suppose. For them, the truth isn't in the accuracy of the description so much as it is in the metaphors, idioms, and hyperbole of the story. After awhile, you can find their way of describing something is just as relevant, and maybe more accurate, than a description of any particular data set. My dad meets with the men several times a week for breakfast and coffee. I've sat with him at a few of those gatherings and wow, the storytelling is rampant, even about the most minor of events that may have or may not have happened that week. The men are able to intuitively decipher what is being said and while hyperbole is 90% of the story, they know exactly what is being said and what is not being said. The entertaining way of talking makes the truth of the story easier to go down with the biscuits and coffee. True natives of the Ozarks are a very different type of hillbilly than I have found from those who live in the Appalachians. There are some similarities of course, but the culture and poverty of the Ozarks and the Boston Mountains seems to have some real differences. I imagine the men who live in the outback might have some similarities to those who live deep in the Ozarks. One thing is for sure, they seem much more happier and don't wear their sensitivities on their sleeves. I appreciate people who enjoy who they are and are able to laugh about it.Problem is I do find his reminiscings of life in a rural community very interesting (being a city boy).
And if we were to meet in person I would, more likely than not, find him affable and entirely engaging.