***What Are You Smoking, June 2025?***

[The Clay King]

I am curious about these photos as I did American Civil War reenacting for so many years.....
I googled these two towns that you mentioned (Bolsover & Nantwich) and are these sites that had a significant action take place during a period of British history (ie. English Civil war, etc.) and if so, was a battle or skirmish recreated when you went? Do you also reenact or are you primarily going to observe?
Perhaps it is a recreation of just civilian life of a certain period and not a military action?
Finally, what roles/characters would the gentleman that you shared a smoke with be portraying?

Sorry for all the questions, but history is a great interest of mine. Thanks.

@Choatecav Yes both Bolsover and Nantwich both saw action during the English Civil War in the 1640s. Both civilians & military are portrayed. I don't re-enact myself but looking at taking part. I took part in the 'have a go' soldier's drill at the Papplewick Civil War event at Easter with soldier's drill & dressing up. As expected at the English Civil War events I took my clay!

 

[Mortar0341]

Haunted Bookshop in the Savinelli Cumberland 806. Favorite smoke in my favorite pipe. Wife went to go get Jerk Ribs cause the lady on the phone said they had him but wouldn't take wife's order over phone, so she drive down there and there no ribs just jerk chicken wings. But that's okay, so she got some wings and some rice and peas and some cabbage. Gonna eat real good. Me and the boy playing out back but a dark thunder storm drove us inside. Gonna watch a movie now.

Turns out the lady hid three ribs under neath the chicken, so I ended up getting my ribs after all. They were bangin good too

 

[ashdigger]

Old Gowrie (2019) in a late 1800’s Meer. Love the silver work on this monster.

 

[telescopes]

Even if smoking nothing. My sense of smell and taste are in of. Since I passed this flu. I miss a few puffs of tobacco. Have a happy Sunday and God bless you.View attachment 399155

John - if only were here to have a few smokes of Amphora and a glass of Limoncello, all your cares would melt away. When I am at the Vatican in a few weeks, I will purchase a rosary for you and ask the pope to bless it. If you would be so kind as to resend me your address in a PM, local delivery from the Vatican is assured.

 

[PaulRVA]

HU Director’s Cut in a Castello Aristocratica Pot.

 

[Lemuel Pitkin]

Black Mallory in a Charatan Supreme (4) Dublin w/machined rough-top and DC mouthpiece.

 

[stoopidbaits]

First Crack at Wallace Flake

 

[Roach1]

Briar Fox in a Jirsa 210.

 

[JOHN72]

John - if only were here to have a few smokes of Amphora and a glass of Limoncello, all your cares would melt away. When I am at the Vatican in a few weeks, I will purchase a rosary for you and ask the pope to bless it. If you would be so kind as to resend me your address in a PM, local delivery from the Vatican is assured.

Thank you my dear friend Douglas. You are very generous. Give a big hug from me and many blessings to the new Pope. Great Italy, good wine, food, great writers, art. I wish you a successful stay in those beautiful lands. This flu is singular, but it won't stop me from having a glass of bourbon to your health, damn it!

 

[Choatecav]

@Choatecav Yes both Bolsover and Nantwich both saw action during the English Civil War in the 1640s. Both civilians & military are portrayed. I don't re-enact myself but looking at taking part. I took part in the 'have a go' soldier's drill at the Papplewick Civil War event at Easter with soldier's drill & dressing up. As expected at the English Civil War events I took my clay!

Very interesting.....
I certainly would encourage you to get involved as it was one of the most fulfilling things that I ever did as it really grounded me in a better understanding of what life was like 160 years ago. In your case, it would be even further back.
While I did enjoy the military actions, I began to enjoy just the recreation of lifestyles and practices of a bygone era even more than staging a battle or doing a tactical while on horseback.
Thank you for sharing.

 

[Choatecav]

Thank you my dear friend Douglas. You are very generous. Give a big hug from me and many blessings to the new Pope. Great Italy, good wine, food, great writers, art. I wish you a successful stay in those beautiful lands. This flu is singular, but it won't stop me from having a glass of bourbon to your health, damn it! View attachment 399176

Nice touch, @telescopes

 

[The Clay King]

Very interesting.....
I certainly would encourage you to get involved as it was one of the most fulfilling things that I ever did as it really grounded me in a better understanding of what life was like 160 years ago. In your case, it would be even further back.
While I did enjoy the military actions, I began to enjoy just the recreation of lifestyles and practices of a bygone era even more than staging a battle or doing a tactical while on horseback.
Thank you for sharing.

@Choatecav Thanks for the kind words. I met a guy in the online hobbies group I'm in that does WW1 re-enactment, not my main area of interest but we have a lot in common.
My living room is furnished like a medieval Great Hall complete with vintage oak furniture, wall plaques, tapestry & knights' armour. I made the knight's banners on my weaving workshops at Straight Curves in Chesterfield.
Booked clay pipe making for later this year at Ironbridge:

Clay Pipemaking Workshop

www.ironbridge.org.uk

It will be interesting to have a look at the original clay pipe moulds and have a go at making a Clay!

 

[Choatecav]

Old Gowrie (2019) in a late 1800’s Meer. Love the silver work on this monster.

View attachment 399169

Ash, maybe you can help me with a question I have....
I have a old meer of a similar shape, age and condition to this but not as nicely adorned as yours. I notice that both tend to darken, with a dramatic beginning point, at the base of the shank as it exits the bowl and heads to the stem. Do you know why they darken more noticeably there than in the body of the bowl??

 

[ashdigger]

Ash, maybe you can help me with a question I have....
I have a old meer of a similar shape, age and condition to this but not as nicely adorned as yours. I notice that both tend to darken, with a dramatic beginning point, at the base of the shank as it exits the bowl and heads to the stem. Do you know why they darken more noticeably there than in the body of the bowl??

View attachment 399179

First, that’s a nice Meer.

Second, here’s my educated guess based handling a metric ton of meers.

The bowl doesn’t concentrate the smoke and combustions byproducts like the shank. The shank gets it all in a concentrated area.

 

[Choatecav]

@Choatecav Thanks for the kind words. I met a guy in the online hobbies group I'm in that does WW1 re-enactment, not my main area of interest but we have a lot in common.
My living room is furnished like a medieval Great Hall complete with vintage oak furniture, wall plaques, tapestry & knights' armour. I made the knight's banners on my weaving workshops at Straight Curves in Chesterfield.
Booked clay pipe making for later this year at Ironbridge:

Clay Pipemaking Workshop

www.ironbridge.org.uk

It will be interesting to have a look at the original clay pipe moulds and have a go at making a Clay!

Very cool, indeed. That should be a lot of fun to learn. I've watched videos on making clays. It is a completely different process. Enjoy.....

 

[The Clay King]

Very cool, indeed. That should be a lot of fun to learn. I've watched videos on making clays. It is a completely different process. Enjoy.....

@Choatecav I made a medieval inspired coiled bowl in a pottery class pre COVID. Not based on an actual find but it's medieval inspired.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Called in again…
Match Victorian in the Briarlee heading in, GLP Navigator in the Pete Sportsman 87 headed home.

Happy Father’s Day to all of y'all that qualify!

 

[Choatecav]

First, that’s a nice Meer.

Second, here’s my educated guess based handling a metric ton of meers.

The bowl doesn’t concentrate the smoke and combustions byproducts like the shank. The shank gets it all in a concentrated area.

So, it's all about concentration.....
Makes good sense and I had wondered about that before. The thing that threw me was the abrupt beginning of the discoloration. I wondered why it wasn't more of a gradual change.
thank you, sir.

 

[bobpnm]

Pegasus in this Orlik Supreme. Iced tea. Relaxing on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

 

[keith929]

Enjoying a bowl of SG Hansom Flake in a Peterson 87.
Happy Father's Day to all !