A few years ago I bought two Peterson bent brandy B11's, one Shannon and one ebony Killarney dress pipe. They are sitters, noticeably light weight for their size, and primo smokers. Recently, this happened again. I've had a Stanwell straight bulldog briar in the Silke Brune series, shape 32, which is a great small pipe with a good-sized bowl, and last week I happened on the pipesandcigars Stanwell sale, 15% off their already incredible $49.99 price on a shape 32 in smooth, which had been the more expensive when I bought the Silke Brune. This is due to arrive today or Monday. I really like factory pipes that smoke well, and that describes these, especially when the price is excellent. Good factory pipes seem to increase in quality -- they break in well, and they become distinctive as the shapes evolve away from their past. If you can keep pipes for a long time, it is like creating fine estate pipes. Although this is self-contradictory, the Stanwell shape 32 is one of their original shapes, kind of a classic. Some say it is THE original Stanwell shape.
