E. Wilke Pipes - What Do I Have Here? (Pic heavy)

fluffie666 · Jan 31, 2017

So I've had this pipe for a few years and I could never figure out what the nomenclature said. Today, I took a zoomed in pic and it says E. Wilke N.Y.C. I started googling around for pics of E. Wilkes pipes, stamping and such but I didn't see a shape like this one. The only lead I have is from a Google forum that mentions an Italian gentlemen by the name of Joe Cortegani who apparently used to carve art deco shapes for E. Wilke. It's definetly a Wilke pipe and I would call that an art deco shape. Does anyone know what year this pipe was made? Do I have what I think I have? The grain is nice and the paneled shape is interesting. I'm going to try one photo first to see if it works for me.

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fluffie666 · Jan 31, 2017

It worked!
Here's the stamping

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The bottom of the tenon

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Swee-tass grain

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pagan · Jan 31, 2017

Very interesting and nice looking pipe

fluffie666 · Jan 31, 2017

Thanks pagan. I thought so too. Especially since all the E. Wilkes I've seen and had are mostly classic pipe shapes. I have a billiard too, probably from the 80's. And another Pipeworks made by Elliot Nachwalter. The pic certainly doesn't look like Nachwalters work.

pitchfork · Jan 31, 2017

dmcmtk might know more, but there was another Wilke pipe maker named Stephen Johnson who worked out of Philadelphia.
The classic shapes were supposedly made by Weber and other large manufacturers -- always natural finish.

fluffie666 · Jan 31, 2017

I saw that about Weber and the natural finish. Some of Those are nice smokers. I have one that smokes lats like a champ. Love it. I think Steven Johnson's pipes for Wilke were were stamped with S Johnson. I'm thinking that all Wilke pipes had the natural finish.

dmcmtk · Feb 1, 2017

Peter, a very interesting pipe; a Paneled Freehand Fan. I don't know who made it, but I know who I might ask - Mark Tinsky. Not because I think he made it, but because he knew and worked with a lot of the pipemakers in the NY pipe scene during the period when your pipe was most likely made.

pitchfork · Feb 1, 2017

One of the pipemakers Tinsky worked with/for was Jack H. Weinberger ("JHW"). Come to think of it, it looks an awful lot like one of his pipes. That doesn't mean it was made by him, but like Dave suggests possibly by someone from that group of pipe makers.
Here are a couple of JHW pipes that are similar in style:

Here's another that sold recently:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JHW-JACK-H-WEINBERGER-SMOKING-PIPE-HANDMADE-IN-USA-/262806846614?

dmcmtk · Feb 1, 2017

One of the pipemakers Tinsky worked with/for was Jack H. Weinberger ("JHW"). Come to think of it, it looks an awful lot like one of his pipes. That doesn't mean it was made by him, but like Dave suggests possibly by someone from that group of pipe makers.

That's where I was going... Here's another pipe, an 8 sided Tall Paneled Dublin (the sandblast makes it hard to see, but that's what it is). An early APC pipe by Curt Rollar...

fluffie666 · Feb 1, 2017

Well thank you, gents! When I read Dave's post ealier today, I put my feelers out to a buddy I have in Florida with connections to the good Mr. MT. I will let you all know what becomes of my search.
I found another E. Wilke I have. Another very neat shape...

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Also, pitchfork, I love those early JHW pipes. The long stems and compact shapes make my hair stand up. I have two JHW pipes...

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They're not much like the ones in your photos but they are nice. I'm waiting for a good bundle of PAD cash before I get a good old Weinberger like in your examples. Just awesome freehands!
While we're showing pipes, here is my early APSC. Not sure if Tinsky or Rollar carved it but it smokes a fine burley flake!

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As far as I am concerned and maybe this is just because I don't know any better, but to me, JHW and APSC, they are the grandfathers and fathers of American freehand pipes.

pitchfork · Feb 2, 2017

Those are great pipes. There aren't a lot of freehand Wilke's out there, but you've got two of them! Would love to see a pic of the Nachwalter sometime.

fnord · Feb 2, 2017

Great pipes, Fluff.
I've got one Elliot Nachwalter in my weekly rotation and it kills.
You've done well.
Fnord

fluffie666 · Feb 2, 2017

Many thanks. I haven't smoked my Nachwalter yet. I found a small spot of charred up briar in the chamber. Total bummer. I need to set my neurosis loose and button that up before I take it for a test drive.
Here's the Nach

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Stamping

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fluffie666 · Feb 2, 2017

One more time with the photos...

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pitchfork · Feb 2, 2017

That's great. Thanks for posting. I don't think I've seen a straight poker from him before.

fluffie666 · Feb 2, 2017

I think his stamping while he was at Pipeworks dictated the year the pipe was made. That one is marked 80 with a double stamped 8. Made in 1980 as far as I can tell. Some of his new shapes are incredible too.

dmcmtk · Feb 2, 2017

Nice Pipeworks pipe. From 1980, right after they escaped from Florida. :wink:

fluffie666 · Feb 2, 2017

"...escaped from Florida." What happened in Florida?

dmcmtk · Feb 2, 2017

"...escaped from Florida." What happened in Florida?

Briar Workshop moved from Stowe, VT to Coral Springs, Fla. for the year 1979. Shapes were much more limited, and because of the increased production, quality suffered. It's during this period that one starts to see semi-rusticated pipes, and the increased use of acrylic stems. One can find the occasional nice pipe from this short period, but I generally avoid them. As Eliott's wife Carole Burns once told me, "We left in the dead of night...". So, Briar Workshop Stowe '75-'78, Briar Workshop Coral Spring's '79, Pipeworks NYC '80-'89ish, Eliott Nachwalter VT. I have several dozen of these pipes, with the majority from the first, third, and fourth periods.
Short version of the story. :wink:

fluffie666 · Feb 2, 2017

Must be some story. "Left in the dead of night" sounds interesting. Thank you for the info. I'll make sure I put a magnifying glass over any Briar Workshop pipes I might find from that period.

E. Wilke Pipes - What Do I Have Here? (Pic heavy)

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