Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 426
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Kevin Godbee - Nov 10, 2020
- 1 min read
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 426! On tonight’s show we have Part II with pipe maker Julius Vesz and his son Rob. Julius is 87 years old and is still making pipes every day. He grew up in Hungary, and at the age of 23 fled to Canada during The Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He got his start when he met Richard Dunhill at a Toronto store, and was awarded Dunhill’s stem repair business for Canada. Prior to that, the stems were sent back to England, but Julius had the skill that Dunhill required. Julius maintains a supply of centuries-old briar that has been accumulated since the 1960s. His pipes are elegant handmade common, and uncommon classic shapes. Rob runs the business for his father. In our opening, “Pipe Parts” segment, Brian will discuss cigars, and provide a couple of recommendations. Sit back, relax with your pipe, and enjoy The Pipes Magazine Radio Show!
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The Pipes Magazine Radio Show features interviews with pipe makers, tobacco blenders, pipe and tobacco aficionados, collectors, and more. Episodes air every Tuesday.
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Julius & Rob Vesz Interview
Written by Kevin Godbee
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It’s far from a closely-held secret that for years I’ve had a bit of a love affair with the old, Celebrated Bengal Slices. I fondly recall my first experience with it in the late 1970s when, on one of my almost daily visits to Drucquer & Sons, a fresh shipment had just arrived. There it was, in its beautiful gloss black, red and gold livery, dramatically standing out from its peers, calling attention to itself from its perch on the shelf behind the counter. “What’s that, in the black tin?” I asked Ken, who had become something of a tobacco mentor to me. “The Bengal Slices? It’s great stuff,” he said, pulling a tin from the shelf and handing it to me, explaining that it was a Latakia mixture with a difference. The ribbons were pressed in blocks and sliced, so it had to be broken up to prepare it for smoking. “You have to pack it lightly, or it’ll clog the pipe and become impossible to smoke when it expands. It’s got a little bit of scent added to it.” That last bit nearly put me off it; I was still recoiling from early experiences with heavily perfumed, goopy, pouched tobaccos that smelled better than they smoked. But curiosity, as it too often does, had its way with me, and I couldn’t resist the singular beauty of that tin. I bought it, dropped it into my satchel, and off I went. Later that day, I popped the lid and was instantly captivated. The perfect slices, standing at attention in a tight array, dark and mysterious, almost glistening with the same hues as the tin’s lid — black, red and golden. The aroma was rich and bold, ripe with Latakia, orientals and virginias. The scent Ken had mentioned, which I’d taken as a warning, wasn’t at all overbearing, but rather soft and seductive, beautifully integrated with the tobaccos’ natural aromas. It transformed what was basically a “typical” Latakia mixture into something that seemed more luxurious, even opulent. 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Once again a great show. Love the history. Glad you are documenting the makers still with use. For me, it makes this obsession of mine so much richer. Thank you.
Trouttimes
Fantastic two part show. It’s great to hear from someone who has done this for so long. His take on dead briar was pretty interesting. I may have to buy one of his pipes to see if I can detect the difference or if I am not yet refined enough to know. Ha.
Thanks for this interview with Julius. I purchased the first one of his pipes when he had his shop in the basement of 44 York St., a Craft pipe. That was in the early 70’s. I only own three of his pipes, the most recent one being a hand cut author he made to my specifications. He’s also done some restoration work for me, including replacing a threaded reverse tenon on a meerschaum and fabricating a new bit for an old Peterson I picked up at a flee market. I’ve always found his work to be excellent. Visiting his shop in the Royal York was always a treat. It exuded an old world charm. A couple of things he didn’t mention in your interview was that he also makes military minatures. The front window of his shop often was filled with these figures staged depicting an 18th. century battle scene. He also forgot to tell you that there was a period of time in the 90’s when he sold tinned tobacco under his own name, made by McClelland. I remember once buying a tin of his burley tobacco and having him complain that it would have been easier for him to get pot across the border than it was to import tobacco. Thanks for all the work you put into these podcasts. They consistently transport me into the larger world of pipes & tobaccos.
Julius is just the nicest man that you can imagine. I own several of his hand cut pipes and they all smoke very well. A former friend of mine bought at least twenty of his pipes, including a couple of $4K pipes. Try explaining that to your wife.