100 Year Old Briar Table Pipe

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

Hi all, this forum has so many pipe years of knowledge that I just had to ask for comment. As a kid I remember this block of wood & played with it at my grandparents home. My dad is 84 and had it for the past 30 years & now I've had it for some time and can't keep my eye off it. (evil thoughts) I guess its been in the family around 100 years. I saw a drawing once of something just like this called a "Gibraltar Briar Table Pipe" exact right down to the bone/ivory stem plug, but for the life of me cannot remember where.

The diameter of the base is 5&3/4 inch, top 3&1/2 inch, hight 3&1/8inch (sorry I'm a metric product)

Can anyone throw any light on this table pipe, I'm starting to get itchy feet and have to stop myself dreaming about what shapes of pipes are lurking in there!

Your comments, advice or anything else would be most appreciative.

Hope the photo works, took advice and used photobucket.

Regards....Alan
Edit: fixed the picture for you. Just paste the IMG code into the reply box. No need to use the IMG button above the reply box. L

lonestar · Apr 10, 2012

Are you thinking of carving a smaller pipe out of it ? I wouldnt recommend ruining an old family heirloom. For $20-$30 you can buy a carve your own briar pipe kit that will make a better pipe for you... If thats what you're asking ?

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

Thanks for that, have not decided on anything as yet and would like to find out the history of the pipe. I'm trying to load up an image for viewing but not much luck yet.

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

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zulu · Apr 10, 2012

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

Thanks for the help!

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

Its not the best photo, there is 1&3/4 inch from the stem plug to the base. The finish is stunning and very much like elephant skin.

tokerpipes · Apr 10, 2012

Thats a big chunk of briar. If its as old as you say I would refurb it and use it.

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

There is a flaw, opposite the stem plug on the other side of the bowl there must have been a root growth that was unseen (can't see why) and now has a small hole, could call it a choke?

zulu · Apr 10, 2012

It might be worth cleaning up, plugging the hole and just smoking it, the flip side would be another three generations just looking at it as I'm the only smoker in the family and can't see my daughters smoking at all, never mind this hunk of briar.

orionpyoung · Apr 10, 2012

+1 Toker
No! Don't carve that beauty. That pipe needs to be smoked! This thing represents a connection to the native use for tobacco, as a forum for discussion. I'd love to pack a full bowl in that and share it with my father and brothers during family vacation.
P.S. If the bowl is deep enough that may actually be a choke. I could see needing to use that after smoking that bowl a little past half way down. Only one way to find out!

shaintiques · Apr 10, 2012

Yeah dont cut it, figure out how to smoke it, that is super cool

jaysin · Apr 11, 2012

somebody arrest him for that thought

baronsamedi · Apr 11, 2012

Get a 3-foot long stem and smoke that bad boy!

ejames · Apr 11, 2012

I take it you don't have the original hose for it? I'd have one made and smoke that thing!

zulu · Apr 11, 2012

I just new that logic would prevail, thanks for all the advice.
Being a man prone to following consensus on occasions, I will clean it up and have a flexible pipe & stem made.
There’s been no smoke through it in my dad’s lifetime (84yrs) but there’s a small rim burn, just new that grandfather of mine would have given it a test drive. I guess I will have to do the honours this time around.
The bowl has a diameter of 1 inch and depth of 1&1/2 inch; no doubt I will have to use a calendar and not a stopwatch when I eventually fire it up.
Will post the picture once it’s restored to its former glory with a bowl of glowing mix still to be decided on. (Any requests?)
Many thanks and kind regards to my new respected advisors.

adam12 · Apr 11, 2012

Dude that thing is AWESOME
Don't mess with it, find out the history of it by talking to some pipe collectors. Send an email to Louise of Jud Perl or someone. That thing is INTENSE!!!!!
If it's over 84 years old... was it hand carved by one specific person, or something that was sold?
More pictures please!

bentmike · Apr 11, 2012

That's Jabba the Hut of house pipes! :lol: I agree with everyone don't harm that amazing piece of briar. Clean it up and enjoy it. Thanks for sharing.

orionpyoung · Apr 11, 2012

+1 Adam12 More pictures would be awesome.
I found some of these online a week or so ago, but I can't remember how or what exactly I searched? Does anyone here know where to find out about these unique style of pipes?

jchaplick · Apr 11, 2012

Just thinking, you may be able to get a hose off of a hookah to smoke it, I know those old table pipes had a hose similar to a hookah, maybe you could take the measurements of the hols and everything and contact a hookah website explain the situation, and see if they offer anything. Just a thought

100 Year Old Briar Table Pipe

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