Info on Amphora Pipes...

addamsruspipe · Dec 19, 2017

Just picked up a nice pipe off ebay. Really like the shape and look of it. Did some research off of Pipedia and found a little information but not a lot. Anyone have any more info about them or experience with them.

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Amphora pipes are made in Holland by the Jos. Gubbels organization, the same company which makes the very well known and loved Amphora Pipe Tobaccos. The pipes are produced in relatively small numbers to a high standard and not commonly found.

The Royal Dutch Pipe Factory Elbert Gubbels & Sons B.V. is the only manufacturer of briarroot tobacco pipes in the Benelux countries where pipes of high quality are made under the brands Big Ben, Hilson, Royal Dutch and Amphora. They also supply numerous smokers' accessories of high quality.

joeman · Dec 19, 2017

In addition to the information you found at Pipedia, I'll add that at some point (I don't know the year), Amphoras were no longer made in Holland...they were acquired by Dr. Grabow, and from that point on, Amphoras were made in Sparta, NC. You can spot a Sparta-made Amphora when the upper half of the 'A' in Amphora is solid (filled-in) white. Also, the Sparta-made examples will not have 'Holland' stamped on them. Shape numbers for Sparta-made will typically be 800 series numbers. This info will at least confirm whether you've got a Holland or US made Amphora.

mso489 · Dec 19, 2017

Holland (The Netherlands) is an often overlooked pipe producing country. Their culture is one of meticulous workmanship and careful engineering and design. I like my Big Ben Dublin churchwarden (lLectura). You can go high end, but their factory pipes at moderate prices are also excellent. Dr. Grabow in Sparta, N.C., is also a proud pipe making center, doing fine work and keeping the prices within reach of all, standard bearer for U.S. made factory pipes.

huntertrw · Dec 19, 2017

In his book titled Pipes - Artisans and Trademarks author José Manuel Lopes had this to say regarding Amphora, "Dutch brand from the Royal Dutch Pipe Factory (see Big Ben). Production: more than 10 thousand pipes a year, some of which only come with the stamp "Douwe Egberts" (Dowe Egberts Tobacco Company, the factory which produces Amphora tobacco), Symbol: "A", sometimes in a white circle."

friedrichwvonostrowo · Jan 21, 2018

"Just picked up a nice pipe off ebay. Really like the shape and look of it. Did some research off of Pipedia and found a little information but not a lot. Anyone have any more info about them or experience with them."
Back in the early 70's when I started to smoke a pipe you could buy pipes and pipe paraphernalia from Amphora (Douwe Egberts?) using coupons and/or information supplied in the packages or tins of Amphora pipe tobacco. The pipes are well made and as far as I can tell from briar. I have a few left over but they are well worn and all my pipes have been repaired at least once (except Peterson with their silver band) since they all tend to crack where the stem enters the pipe bowl. I found them to be a good smoking pipe. There was one other pipe tobacco company that did the same for a short time in the late 70's early 80's(???). Was it Borkum Riff??

mso489 · Jan 25, 2018

I've heard only good things about Amphora pipes. As mentioned above, the Dutch generally do good work. They have a strong ethic of precision and craftsmanship.

addamsruspipe · Jan 25, 2018

I am up to four Amphora pipes all made in Holland. So far the are all well made and smoke great. Have them on my permante list of pipes to look out for.

seanv · Nov 20, 2018

Good to hear Amphora pipes are of good quality. I just picked up four from eBay last night. The A logo is solid white, so I am guessing these were made in the US by Dr Grabow.

addamsruspipe · Nov 20, 2018

I have six of them and they all smoke well. The only problem I ever had with one was when the prior owner had freight trained it. When I reamed the bowl the briar was charred and had numerous cracks in it. But once I had repaired the cracks with pipe mud it smoked as well as the others. Happy smoking.

anantaandroscoggin · Nov 20, 2018

I only have one Amphora pipe (estate, via eBay). On one side of the shank it's stamped Amphora over Giada, on the other side A 100 N over Made in Holland. Set into the stem is an almost 3-D effect 1/4" diameter inset with the word "Amphora" over what might be a tree or a leaf or something of that general pointy-top shape. The wood of the bowl has a slightly greenish tint the finish.
There's some kind of stubby lever thingy on the top of the stem that doesn't seem to want to move, and I don't want to force and break something.

addamsruspipe · Nov 20, 2018

If I remember correctly that lever is to control the amount of smoke going through.

mau1 · Nov 21, 2018

I have an Amphora Douwe Egberts x-Tra 821. Nice open draw, light pipe, one of my go-to pipes. I would be tempted to buy another if I ran across one.

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