Iwan Ries Exclusives House Pipes Online: Gone!

mso489 · Oct 16, 2014

Iwan Ries (pronounced Ivan Reese, I learned from a pipes magazine interview) has long offered

mostly Benton-made house pipes stamped Iwan Ries at their online site. Lately I've noticed these

are completely out of stock. Although they offer to email notice when they restock, this makes me

wonder if they are renegotiating for house pipes, perhaps with someone else. I call (or called) these

pipes "Chicago Dunhills" because they are smooth smokers; they have a few inconspicuous fills on

some pipes, but the smoking is perfect. Anyone caught any back story on what's going on here? A

Forums member who visited IR recently said they still have them in the store, but their absence online

makes me think there is change afoot.

quincy · Oct 16, 2014

I'm planning on swinging up there within the next few weeks (drove past it yesterday and couldn't stop. Broke my heart) and I can inquire about it if you like...

mso489 · Oct 16, 2014

quincy, if the opportunity presents itself, it would be interesting to know about it. Although if they are busy,

and you need to focus on your own purchases, it might not come up. Online, they have about a dozen pipes

on their Iwan Ries Exclusives page but they are all "email me when available," or something like that. So it

might be fun to inquire, for curiosity. Thanks for offering, and I hope you have a good visit. It's a pipe

Disneyland.

quincy · Oct 17, 2014

I hear that! Is there a particular one you are interested in? If they have it in store I don't mind picking it up for you and you can reimburse me...

mso489 · Oct 17, 2014

I have three IR Exclusives, which will hold me for now, but thank you very much for the offer. I track them in case I

decide on one, but there are several other pipes I'm inclined toward, not those. What I have are the bent billiard compact,

not even pictured any more online; the Canadian; and one of the straight billiards. I used to like to recommend them

to newbies and others wanting to build their rotation, which is another reason I keep track of them. Also, I'm just

intrigued by pipe marketing. Really all kinds of retail marketing. I'm a writer-editor, but I must have a "retail gene."

jah76 · Oct 17, 2014

I had been watching one of those straight billiards for a bit. It was the one with the thick/sturdy shank and stem. Looked like a perfect example of function over form. Just a solid looking pipe.
I noticed the other day it was gone. I kept threatening to buy it, but I think I admired it's simplicity more then I wanted to own it.
I love Iwan Ries, great folks both times I've went. One of the staff went WAY out of his way to help my wife one time too. The gentleman I've dealt with had that "lost art" salesperson talent of knowing when I needed help and knowing when to leave me alone (I mean that nicely).

kcvet67 · Oct 17, 2014

I bought more than my share of IRC pipes in the '60s and '70s, they were always a good bargain. They've changed suppliers many times over the years to maintain a supply of decent pipes at a good price. IRC will always be special to me, when I was in Viet Nam they kept me supplied with good tobacco (PX blends SUCKED). In the current online market their prices tend to be a little high but they have some very good sales if you watch for them.

They are an icon in the industry.

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