1872 Barling Magnum

[mso489]

What a work of pipe making. All pipe carvers should study this one for design. The metal work on that band alone is a museum piece, but in combination with the pipe itself, it is a masterpiece. Look at the stem work. The balance and proportion on the briar. Breathtaking. Nothing fancy anywhere, just pure balance and proportion.

 

[jguss]

Hi Ken,
Interesting question about a potential tie between the Cheltenham and London Simmons's! I have a file on the history of H. Simmons somewhere, but can't lay my hands on it right away. All I can tell you off the top of my head is:
a) the Simmons who married into the Wright family is named Harry, not Henry; that was a typo on my part

b) while Harry was born in Cheltenham, his father John was born in Middlesex. So there's at least a geographical possibility that they were kin to the Simmons family that established what we know as H. Simmons

3) H Simmons was located for many years at 62 Piccadilly before moving to 60 Burlington Arcade in 1923
Having said all that a blood tie, if any, would go back at least two centuries from today, and that's beyond any research I've done on the family so far
If I find my H. Simmons file I'll look into it and post again. There's a good deal about the origins of the business and how it changed hands over the years
Rgds,

Jon

 

[didache]

No tobacconists these days in the Burlington Arcade, sadly. But it us just around the corner from Dunhill and James J Fox. Mike

 

[jpmcwjr]

Thanks, Mike; I am painfully aware there are exactly zero, nada, zilch, nil, none tobacco shops there now. I much prefer Davidoff to Dunhill's shadow of a pipe store, and JJ Fox is still carrying the flag.
But I am really hoping someone with a good memory can help me on the long ago arcade.

 

[georged]

Challenge for any current pipe maker:
Copy this pipe. :mrgreen:
You'll even get a pass on the filigree silver and screw-in stem... a plain band and conventional push-fit tenon will do nicely.

 

[puffermark]

What a stunning find, sir. I'm speechless. Couldn't have found a better home IMHO.

 

[glpease]

Wow, Jesse. Congratulations! That's one of the most exceptional pieces I've ever seen, with a great story, and it couldn't have found a better, more appreciative home. Let me know if I can offer some special leaf to smoke in it!

 

[sablebrush52]

Wow, Jesse. Congratulations! That's one of the most exceptional pieces I've ever seen, with a great story, and it couldn't have found a better, more appreciative home. Let me know if I can offer some special leaf to smoke in it!

Greg, that is an amazing offer and I would be a fool not to take you up on it! The unforeseen aside, I'm planning to bring it, all cleaned, sanitized and ready for someone to smoke, to Vegas, hint, hint!
thank you!
Jesse

 

[georged]

Jesse ---
Take the stummel to a hardware store that has nut & bolt bins, and gently test-fit some bolts to see if the threads are a modern standard size and pitch. If that's the case, making a replica smoking stem for that pipe would be straightforward. Not easy, but straightforward. :lol:
(If the size and pitch is not modern, things get complicated for a variety of reasons. Probably not such an exciting idea, then.)

 

[sablebrush52]

IT'S ARRIVED!!!!!!!!!!!!
After sitting in US Customs for 10 days, the pipe arrived at my doorstep about an hour ago. When I pulled the case from the packing I was not prepared for just how large and truly imposing this pipe is. I'm assuming that the person who ordered it stood about 3' 10" with height issues. This is a really large pipe.
The case reminded me of the sarcophagus of an Egyptian Pharaoh. It's in amazing condition. The clasp works perfectly. The case measures 10 1/4" by 3".
Ken wrote to me that the pipe looks much better in person than the photographs, and he's correct, though the photos do justice to the pipe. It looks almost new. The pipe is covered in glorious flame grain, and the rim is a sea of birdseye. The bowl, shank and rim are glossy with a color like rose mahogony. The stem is nearly flawless. A tiny bit of darkening on the rim, but not as much as suggested by the photos. When I unscrewed the stem, the action felt silky, like a perfect fit. If you've ever owned a Leica camera you know what I'm talking about. External dimensions on the pipe are 9 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/2". Chamber diameter is 15/16". Chamber depth is about 2" on a cylindrical bore. It is definitely not a clencher.
The pipe has been smoked and there is a thorough coating of carbon, and it's been smoked fairly recently as there are the clear indicators of the use of a modern reamer, like a Pip-Net. The base of the chamber looks solid under a high intensity beam magnifier. Unlike many old pipes, there is none of that sickly sweet mustiness. It smells like tobacco and not latakia, so probably Virginia or Va/Per, Va/Bur. I'll be doing some further cake removal to verify the condition of the walls before I consider smoking it. This will wait until I have time to do this patiently and carefully.
This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition. This Barling is an impressive, nay astonishing, piece of pipe history.

 

[JimInks]

Yay! :D

 

[georged]

Jesse, the thrill of that pipe is obviously too much for you. Meaning in medical terms. Elevated heart rate, adrenaline dump, etc. with sleep loss inevitable. Physical ruin. Sadness awaits. Despair awaits. Heartbreak is certain.
No responsible PipeWorld citizen or friend would allow you to continue being near it. You simply MUST give it up. To avoid a health disaster. If not yourself, think of The Children. All those poor, innocent little darlings who will never get to experience your movie magic...
So. I'm willing to make an enormous sacrifice and swap you an entire bundle of aluminum pipe nails and a package of Corona flints for it.
What say you?

 

[JimInks]

I'll up the ante, George, and throw in three pipe cleaners, an ounce of corn silk, and a bottle of root beer.

 

[philobeddoe]

Jesse, I'm extremely happy for you, this is a museum level pipe and one that any pipeman would be extatic to find. However, to a Barling-man this pipe must be like briar nirvana! Congrats on that beautiful pipe and a deep debt of gratitude to Ken Barnes. :clap:

 

[tbradsim1]

Bah, CheepOs, one Deboned chicken with seafood stuffing from Richards in Maurice and some used pipe filters.

 

[ssjones]

This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition. This Barling is an impressive, nay astonishing, piece of pipe history.

That covers it nicely. I'll look forward to hearing a smoking report once you get it properly scrutinized. It's really hard to fathom, finding something like that (or, rather that it found you!)

 

[ashdigger]

I have a tin of dried out 100 yr old tobacco you can have for trade. :nana:
That's sounds fantastic Jesse! Congratulations!

 

[sablebrush52]

Thanks to all of you for your generous offers to relieve me of the burden of this pipe. I truly appreciate your selfless magnanimity. But I must refuse. This pipe is my burden and I must assume it. I couldn't possibly consider asking any of you to shoulder it.
Bradley, this gynormous pipe makes all of yours look like toys. :nana:
Until I can get around to cleaning it, the pipe will reside in its case, safely put away.
If the fates allow, I'm planning to bring it to the WCPS, so if you attend, let me know and you can take a gander at it.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Bravo to Ken! Congrats to Jesse! It is a superb pipe. :clap: ::

 

[ophiuchus]

Thanks to all of you for your generous offers to relieve me of the burden of this pipe. I truly appreciate your selfless magnanimity. But I must refuse. This pipe is my burden and I must assume it. I couldn't possibly consider asking any of you to shoulder it.

If you must, you must. :lol:
Boy, this (almost) justifies a "selfie" the next time you give 'er a smoke. At any rate, congrats on the new arrival.