We collect for all sorts of reasons, in all sorts of ways. Some collect pipes from only one maker. Others collect one shape interpreted from a variety of makers. Some create a pantheon comprised of a single fine example from a selection of the most celebrated carvers. I collect Barlings, but I also collect whatever appeals to me.
I've shared some of my Barlings. Now I'm going to share some of the pipes I've acquired simply because I like them.
To keep this post from taking too long to load, I've divided it into several parts rather than reduce the quality of the images.
Preben Holm era Ben Wade freehand:
I love this pipe. I love the marriage of grain to shape, the clever way that the carver sought to bring out every possible play of flame grain and birdseye. I love the way that the grain flows around the faceted surface. The grain flows all around the bowl and along the shank. The top facing facets are covered in birdseye.
Paul Tatum freehand and volcano:
One of my favorite carvers is Paul Tatum. He's no longer carving pipes, which is a shame. Paul is a true American original. His pipes share a unique aesthetic that is creative, sometimes humorous, sometimes a little sinister, or just plain strange. Paul's pipes are expertly engineered, with careful attention to surface, a characteristic that shouldn't be a surprise as he's a structural engineer currently working as a flight controller for NASA.
I call this my hot rod pipe. Fins and flames, what more could one ask for? This pipe is stamped Tatum's Workshop Journeyman 66, perfect for a hot rod pipe. I've driven long stretches of Route 66 and this is the perfect pipe for traveling the open road, preferably in a ragtop.
This is my favorite volcano. It's a volcano that looks like a volcano. Paul did something here with the transition from a carefully wrought blast to a smooth that I've yet to see anywhere else. He's not trying to look like warmed over Danish, that's for sure.
I've shared some of my Barlings. Now I'm going to share some of the pipes I've acquired simply because I like them.
To keep this post from taking too long to load, I've divided it into several parts rather than reduce the quality of the images.
Preben Holm era Ben Wade freehand:
I love this pipe. I love the marriage of grain to shape, the clever way that the carver sought to bring out every possible play of flame grain and birdseye. I love the way that the grain flows around the faceted surface. The grain flows all around the bowl and along the shank. The top facing facets are covered in birdseye.
Paul Tatum freehand and volcano:
One of my favorite carvers is Paul Tatum. He's no longer carving pipes, which is a shame. Paul is a true American original. His pipes share a unique aesthetic that is creative, sometimes humorous, sometimes a little sinister, or just plain strange. Paul's pipes are expertly engineered, with careful attention to surface, a characteristic that shouldn't be a surprise as he's a structural engineer currently working as a flight controller for NASA.
I call this my hot rod pipe. Fins and flames, what more could one ask for? This pipe is stamped Tatum's Workshop Journeyman 66, perfect for a hot rod pipe. I've driven long stretches of Route 66 and this is the perfect pipe for traveling the open road, preferably in a ragtop.
This is my favorite volcano. It's a volcano that looks like a volcano. Paul did something here with the transition from a carefully wrought blast to a smooth that I've yet to see anywhere else. He's not trying to look like warmed over Danish, that's for sure.
