Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 671
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Kevin Godbee - Jul 22, 2025
- 1 min read
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 671. Our featured interview tonight is with Anthony James. Anthony is a micro-blender of pipe tobaccos. He started smoking pipes in 2020, and because of his chef background he immediately became interested in blending tobaccos. He was led to pipe smoking after his wife’s grandfather passed away and they found 10 Kaywoodie pipes while cleaning out the garage. Anthony was already intrigued by pipes from his own great grandfather being a tough Navy man pipe smoker in WWII. He always had this macho image of pipe smokers and when he found the Kaywoodies, that was the last push he needed. In Pipe Parts, Brian will have a list of pipe smoking related things you must at least try once.
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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.
Our show is sponsored by SmokingPipes.com, Cornell & Diehl, Missouri Meerschaum, Savinelli Pipes and Tobaccos, Peterson Pipes and TinBids. Please give them some consideration when making your next pipe or tobacco purchase.
We hope you enjoy our 1-hour show produced just for you—the pipe smoker and collector.
Written by Kevin Godbee
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Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 690. Our featured guest on tonight’s show is artisan pipe maker JD Wolf. JD just started smoking pipes a little over a year ago, and he started making them at about the same time. His impetus for becoming a pipe maker came from the problem that his preferences in artistic handmade pipes were out the reach of his budget. He strives to make precise smoking instruments that are also a handcrafted piece of art that the “average workingman” can afford. At the top of the show in Pipe Parts, Brian will have a holiday gift giving guide for pipe smokers.
This may seem out of character for Pundit, but I am truly captivated by the Ser Jacopo Insanus. Years ago, I purchased an enormous, barn-sized pipe and tucked it away, only to forget about it. Recently, the urge to hold it resurfaced, prompting a frantic search through my collection until I found my prized Insanus. It’s an impressive, beautifully rusticated paneled bowl with bamboo shank extension—possibly weighing just over five ounces. I love it! To clarify, “insanus” in Latin can mean “incredible.” I must admit, I learned this not from my distant high school Latin but from consulting a dictionary. Okay, a few pipe makers go for heavy-duty pipes, of course. But the Ser Jacopo brand has not been shy about creating, well, great ol’ big ‘uns, and a few that defy the imagination. Some of the Ser Jacopo creations seemingly belong in a museum of art. Which makes sense when you look at the name’s origins. Giancarlo Guidi founded the brand and possibly named it for a 16th-century Italian painter. Now, Pundit does not go gaga for all the Insanus versions. Especially those that appear to have been in a bad accident and are broken and wired together. Or the larger-than-life bowl that twists back onto the stem to surveil your tobacco brand preferences before you load up. Do not get Pundit wrong, here. If your choice is the Insanus that is wired up or the pipe that looks back at you, then I will cheer you on. They are fun and spark a great deal of curiosity, especially in your pipe club gatherings. In research about Insanus pipes, I found that Guidi and Bruto Sordini founded Ser Jacopo in Pesaro, Italy, after leaving Mastro de Paja. They aimed to blend expertise and creativity, establishing Ser Jacopo as a distinct force in Italian pipe making. According to my research, Guidi was inspired by the imaginative art of Picasso and Van Gogh. This led Ser Jacopo artists to push creative limits, carving pipes by drawing inspiration directly from the briar and their artistic instincts. Pundit also owns a couple of Ser Jacopo’s more “sanus” (sic) pipes, including some of the beloved Picta Van Gogh rusticated styles, which have been put away for safekeeping. These pieces stand out for their unique craftsmanship and artistic flair. Van Gogh, you might recall, was a pipe smoker. He painted many self-portraits smoking a pipe. These paintings served as one of the blueprints for the Van Gogh Picta series. I first saw the Picta Van Gogh at a pipes and tobacco show in Nashville, TN. It was love at first glimpse. I bought it faster than you can say Van Gogh. I barely had time to get out my credit card, worried someone else would snatch it up. Some Insanus designs, such as those that appear broken and wired together or feature oversized bowls that twist back toward the stem, exemplify the brand’s boundary-pushing approach. 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I always prefer to believe the best of everybody; it saves so much trouble. —Rudyard Kipling A Parting thought: We pipe smokers are part of a rather large family. And with the holidays in full bloom, it is time to be grateful for the artists who create magnificent pipes and craft exquisite tobacco blends. Just for us! Happy Holidays!
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 689. Our featured guest on tonight’s show is artisan pipe maker Patrick Kehler from Marchand, Manitoba Canada. He grew up in a strict religious environment where his behavior was restricted and smoking (and drinking) were frowned upon. One day, when he was older and in the process of providing himself more freedoms, a co-worker showed him a pipe. He was captivated. Hear the whole story on tonight’s show. At the top of the show in Pipe Parts, Brian will have a review of four different brands of pipe cleaners.
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I enjoyed and keenly agree with your advice to the newcomers in the audience. And the best suggestion to new pipe smokers is to join a local club and attend a pipe show.
Anthony James was a fascinating guest with a colorful history. I found his dedicated involvement in tobacco blending very interesting and quite impressive.
A good song to remember Ozzy. May his memory be eternal. And may Tony Whelan’s memory be eternal.
I was happy to hear that your anniversary cruise was so delightful.
Thank you for providing us with such an entertaining and respectful show.
Dino
Love must be in the air! Happy Anniversary Brian and Mrs. Brian! We also celebrated an anniversary on 7/12. 17 years! Half yours. That’s sobering isn’t it?
Anthony James is fascinating. He’s on my radar, so hope to get with him soon.
And RIP Ozzy. I won’t pretend I’m a massive Ozzy fan, but I did appreciate his hits over the years. So the music choice was poignant. And, for what it’s worth, my 5 year old daughter loves Crazy Train specifically because of the podcast. I play it for her all the time now. If you wanna be punched in the feels, YouTube Louisville Leopards playing Crazy Train for Ozzy as a surprise. They’re a youth percussion ensemble and they absolutely knock it out of the park. And given how much money he’s raised for youth programs over the years, it’s very appropriate. He may have been a weird guy, but he had a heart of gold, especially when it came to kids. The money he raised in his last performance is a testament to that.