In Defense of the Homely Poker

[mso489]

Okay, it's the pipe always pictured in the mouthes of snowmen. Some have an active aversion to it for it's lack of design. Who wants such an aesthetically pokey pipe? But looked at another way, it has simplicity going for it. And the sitter feature is just doggone convenient if you do anything else while you are pipe smoking. The design especially accommodates an ample or larger bowl, and its simplicity conveys a sort of folksy ease. I have several pokers: a lovely hand-carved Jerry Perry poker in Mountain Laurel with subtle asymmetry and an extra commodious bowl; a La Rocca with distinctive carved looping rustication; a Parker blast cherrywood shape; and my recently purchased Dagner/MM nose-warmer cob with acrylic stem and nickel band. I enjoy the admirable virtues of the poker. Are you a no-poker person, a reluctant owner, or a fan? I do like the ones I have.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I like them as cobs, but never briar or other materials.

 

[aldecaker]

Not a fan of the design. The only pipes that look natural with a flat bottom are cobs, IMO.

 

[woodsroad]

Poker? I hardly know her.

 

[didache]

I only have one - it's a Peterson Mark Twain. It's meant to be reminiscent of the cob pipes which feature in his stories. The pipe comes as a pair with a replica of the Peterson pipe frequently smoked by the great man. Mine are done with a rustic finish (as in the picture).
I rather enjoy the Twain poker. It's fairly large but it fits nicely in the hand. It's actually the pipe in my avatar.
Mike

 

[bluegrasspipe]

I have always admired that Pete Mark Twain poker, mighty fine.

 

[daveinlax]

The Poker/ Cherrywood/ Friendly family are not my favorite shape but I have these three very rare and unique pipes in the collection that I shared in this thread. I am efforting number four for this collection and hope to have it soon! 8O

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/show-off-your-castello-pipes-here

 

[smokeyweb]

I own a couple of pokers, and, while not my favorite shape, I fancy the few that I own.

 

[mso489]

I'd forgotten Peterson made that briar poker with cob rustication. And those Castellos are spiffy for sure.

 

[cranseiron]

I was never attracted to the poker until I bought the Moonshine poker (middle pipe) that turned out to be an outstanding smoker and convenient little pipe I fell in love with. The Teipen (right), I don't smoke much, but I couldn't resist the whimsy and artistry of the pipe. And the Tim Thorpe pipe looks like a ole tree stump and as I was raised in Mississippi, I may as well live up to all the clichés. MSO, I think you're right about the folksiness of the poker as the Moonshine and Thorpe "stump" tend to be among my everyday "utility" pipes-- the sitter feature is an added bonus. Yeah, the Teipen stem is oxidized...

 

[agnosticpipe]

I have never loved or hated the poker shape, but the very first pipe I bought in 1982 was a poker, a Savinelli second. I thought it was different from any of the other shapes I saw. I've only had a few more since then and currently still have that one as well as a Dunhill, GBD and meer lined Tinderbox. So far those four fill my poker needs.

 

[inquisitor3]

The poker is one of my all-time, least-favorite shapes. Seems like the inventor of the shape chopped off a branch, hollowed it out, then pulled through a stem. On the other hand, they sit politely, so that's a star in their favor!

 

[tbradsim1]

I love Pokers, working mans pipe, I think Americana when I see one, I have a Rare Castello Poker and love it.

 

[tbradsim1]

. Here it is.

 

[didache]

"I love Pokers, working mans pipe ..."
I think the Old Cajun has it right: while there is a place for classic shapes (I prefer Billiard myself) or even whimsical shapes, there is something unpretentious and just plain "honest" about a poker.
Mike

 

[tozert]

Pokers are great...you can set 'em down most anywhere. There is an almost endless amount of variety to the shape, too!

 

[irishearl]

Don't own a poker, but, Mike, would love to have a Pete MT poker. Closest I own is a straight magnum barrel pipe which I really like. Now my current favorite shape in my herd is Peterson's take on the cherrywood, which I have in the Kinsale line.