Author Shaped Popularity??!!

[Sweet Home Alabama]

This is my favorite shape, not the squat bulldog, but the traditional Author shape.

My observation has been that vintage makers did not produce this shape as much. This might be an oversimplification, but the Kaywoodie 13b is hardly portrayed in their catalogues.

My inquiry, was this always a favored shape, or is it a recent event>

 

[tobefrank]

I think the shape really gained popularity with the Savinelli 320ks. It seems to have a lot of fans.

 

[telescopes]

I have a Paronelli in mat gray with a beaded finish. It’s very striking and one of my go to pipes. It’s my only author, and I wish I had treated it with more love. Due to the finish, I doubt I can touch it up.

 

[JimInks]

I think the shape really gained popularity with the Savinelli 320ks. It seems to have a lot of fans.

I agree with that. Author shapes were made here and there by several companies over the decades, including Dunhill, but the 320s really put the shape on the map. I'm smoking one now, as a matter of fact.

I find the wide bowl to be optimal for revealing nuances in complicated blends, and to that end, one of mine is a review pipe.

 

[mso489]

The 320 is the star in the author shape. It's a little heavy for it's chamber size to me, but people generally love them. My authors are made by Luciano, Peterson, and Kaywoodie in the Drinkless Ruff-tone series.

 

[renfield]

Yeah, it seems like the more contemporary renditions of the author have “turned up the gain” on all the proportions. An enjoyable shape, especially when you want a broader chamber.

 

[PipesRock]

Love the Author shape. 320 is a go to for English blends for me (for no real reason I guess) but my larger Adam Sheehan Author is my joy. It's mostly for my frequent VaPers, Virginias.

 

[tnfan]

One of my favorite shapes. I have two 320’s, a Rad Davis, and a Rubio. As said above the 320’s are a little heavy but smoke great.

 

[danimalia]

The 320 is an iconic shape. I eventually want one to try since it has so many devoted fans. I think Ropp makes a nice one too, in their Ruby line.

 

[Briar Baron]

Ha !
I was also smoking a 320 when I started reading this, must be popular!

 

[Olkofri]

I find the wide bowl to be optimal for revealing nuances in complicated blends, and to that end, one of mine is a review pipe.

There goes the myth that bowl geometry has no effect on flavour.

 

[JimInks]

There goes the myth that bowl geometry has no effect on flavour.

Most of the time it probably doesn't matter. But, I find it does matter to me when I am reviewing a blend with a bit of variety.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Shape might be a factor in how the user holds/cradles the pipe and this might/could influence the cadence and power of the draw. Just thinking because I've read here the cadence and the way we smoke is an important factor in tasting.

 

[ssjones]

A few British makers had Author shapes. Notably, GBD and Peterson did not have this shape (to my knowledge)

The Comoy's 256 Author has been in the line up for decades, this one from the 1930's

The Dunhill CK has also been in their shape list for decades (no one is certain when it was introduced), this one a 1971 model.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

A few British makers had Author shapes. Notably, GBD and Peterson did not have this shape (to my knowledge)

The Comoy's 256 Author has been in the line up for decades, this one from the 1930'sView attachment 79581

The Dunhill CK has also been in their shape list for decades (no one is certain when it was introduced), this one a 1971 model.

View attachment 79582

I like those examples/designs.

 

[newbroom]

I have a couple of Author shapes, an LHS 42? and a Kaywoodie 13b, and also a couple of fine Rhodesians which approximate the same bowl dimensions as the author and has a similar hand feel due to its rounded shank and bowl. I used to smoke these pipes a lot, but have slipped into a steady rotation of beaters.

 

[telescopes]

Paronelli in a beaded mat gray finish. The shape fits my hand perfectly and it is a joy to smoke. I wish I’d been kinder to the pipe over the years.

 

[LotusEater]

I believe this is an Author? It is a Sicana I inherited from my grandfather. I never smoke it now but when I was a little kid I’d walk around pretending to smoke it all the time. I loved the aromatic ghost it was imbued with.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

Yeah, definitely waiting for Savinelli to drop a crazy 320 or something for their 150th anniversary...

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I was following an auction for an unsmoked Kaywoodie 13b that went for $138. Mine cost $50, but was restored and had the stinger cut off. Hopefully, part of the price was collectabilty.