I have had an LPI on my radar since seeing one at Edward's in Denver. The sad part about that one is that it was walking out the door as a recent purchase. In that same time frame, I saw a couple more and lost them only to see them in the hands of another board member (not a bad thing and I'm quite happy for him) in the threads here and here. In those threads it did have a bit of info that surprised me though. They were made by J.T. Cooke. I see the same claim on Briarblues and that only lends it more credence. Well, I ran across another one and managed to secure it.
The question is this: Were all LPI pipes made by him? I see other places that Barry Levin imported pipes from prominent Italian artisans and others. So, could they be from different artisans or are all LPI stamped pipes made by Mr. Cooke?
Here's a seller's pic of the pipe I won if that helps you reach a conclusion. The thing that gets me on this one and the second link above is the double-comfort-like stepped bit. Did J.T. Cooke ever do a stepped bit? Also, the rustication looks more Italian than American but that is not always the best indicator.
The question is this: Were all LPI pipes made by him? I see other places that Barry Levin imported pipes from prominent Italian artisans and others. So, could they be from different artisans or are all LPI stamped pipes made by Mr. Cooke?
Here's a seller's pic of the pipe I won if that helps you reach a conclusion. The thing that gets me on this one and the second link above is the double-comfort-like stepped bit. Did J.T. Cooke ever do a stepped bit? Also, the rustication looks more Italian than American but that is not always the best indicator.