7 Day Prince Set w/ 7 Pipe Makers

[misterlowercase]

Great post moriarty.

Well done.

:clap:

Dunhill were making them in the 1920s, immediately after (I think) Loewe originated the prince shape. So, as Dunhill is the only remaining great old English pipemaker, this is the definitive prince archetype. Or if you can find a good old estate English prince from Comoy's, Barling, Loewe, etc. - especially from the 1920s or thereabouts - that would be a really nice part of the set. Or get an old one and the equivalent new Dunhill model.

Most excellent,

yes.
To me this is indeed the archetypal English shape and it just screams prime-time pipedom of the late teens and early 20's.
A stone cold classic if there ever was one.
And you're also correct that just about all of the hallowed British marques made an example of one.
Here's a Loewe:

Barling:

...and an old Orlik Dugout that I have,

sadly rather abused, errr well-loved that is, and missing silver ferrule,

but I love it nonetheless...

Chris Asteriou indeed is currently the King of Prince when it comes to young PipeMakers.

Monk,

I'd have to agree.
He is also an avid collector,

he is very intimate with these things,

here's a Barling from his collection:

I can't believe that this pic hasn't been posted yet, especially since GLP is the catalyst for the burning desire

-- he is a talented photographer...
...here's one of his Comoy's:

 

[stanlaurel]

I have always wanted a Stephen Downie prince. He is a master of this shape.
Here is his site.

 

[disinformatique]

@Pitch Hopefully Mike will send it out to me in a few months after tax season. I have pay a few pipe makers and traders first lol.
@Moriarty what a fantastic and inspirational post. I didnt named all the pipe makers in my list as I wanted the veteran's views as well. All the photos here in this thread will go to every pipe maker who will make the pipe for the set.
@Tarheel Les Wood is in my list for the prince as well brother. I am working on the Monk Pipes stamp design and getting it made before I commission any of the pipes. It will be a named set from 7 different Masters, will come in a custom made collector's box and personally signed by the 7 pipe makers. It's a grand and expensive side project but will allow me not to spend on pipes elsewhere.
@MLC Awesome collection brother, plus Chris also has a fantastic collection. I purposefully stayed away from any other prince GLP has in his collection, its too big of a temptation. Work on the first pipe will begin in June this year after I've sorted out the stamp design and production.
@Stanlaurel Downie makes wonderful pipes !! I want him to make me a LOTR pipe one day.
Chris :puffpipe:

 

[misterlowercase]

:!:

...yet more inspiration:
http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills-blog/2011/9/5/eating-the-bear.html
::

 

[moriarty]

Pipe Monk, thanks for your comment. Your idea of boxing the set and adding the pipe makers' signatures is a really wonderful one. I'm excited about the project even though it won't be mine.
I think if I were doing this I would first decide whether I want all the princes to be modelled on a single pipe (i.e. make me your replica of this Dunhill, with a black sandblast and silver flock) or if I'd rather have a less unified set that is more representative of each pipe maker's style (i.e. make me what you consider to be your version of a prince, entirely in your own style). Or something in-between (e.g. make me a prince along the lines of this Dunhill, but you can vary the finish, colours, bowl shape, flock material or omit the flock, straight vs curved stem, bowl material, or whatever). This is a very personal thing and is purely a matter of how you would like to envisage the set as a whole - what would satisfy you most when you see them all together in the box. What should be consistent across the set, to define it as a set, and what would you like to be varied across the set to make each pipe distinctive. I think I would at least want to specify the length of the pipes - 6 1/4 inches is my ideal for a prince (that's the Dunhill group 4 length, by the way) - and then the set would look like it belongs together.
You could also consider having eight spaces in your seven day set - put your inspiration pipe at the top and then have the hand-made artisan versions below, with the maker's signatures.
I'm kind of hoping you complete the set and then find you don't like princes any more. Then you could sell it to me.

 

[moriarty]

MLC, I'm glad you posted Chris Asteriou's 1920 Barling. I also saved a copy of those photos when I saw him post them somewhere. It's a lovely pipe. One day I'd love to find one of that age and that quality.

 

[georged]

Adam Davidson brought a matched pair of military Shell-style finish Princes to Chicago a couple years back. They were spectacular. He taught himself how to spin silver so that the "Dunhill vibe" remained intact. (A Dunnie cap's thickness is greater than a repair band, and a section of tubing has no taper. It's a tricky thing to get just right.)
As far as I know he's made several more as special orders since. Highly recommended.

 

[disinformatique]

@Moriarty thanks for the articulate reply. I don't want the pipe makers to clone the Dunhill Prince at all or for that matter any of the wonderful Princes pictures above but rather take that as an inspiration piece and make their own signature interpretation. Otherwise it will be just a Dunhill copy with neither depth nor soul of its own. What What I want to capture is the essence of it all. There is a big reason we all still hunt for vintage pipes and often pay a lot for them.
As you observed in the your comment there has to be a unifying factor for 7 different pipes to be called a set. This got me thinking and I think I have to sit down and write down my thoughts on the same. I am doing an experimental pipe with Clark Layton as a warm-up to see how it pans out. I will smoke the pipe for a few months to see if my love for the Prince is eternal or is it just a phase?
I would request the pipe maker(s) to keep the length consistent, the blast ultra craggy and I definitely want the Dunhill styled army mount, for everything else they have 100% artistic freedom. If Parks wants to make the stain black with red undertones, so be it. If Asteriou wants to blast the pipe and keep it tan, so be it, or if Askwith wants to try his blasted and worn look for the shell he can go ahead and make it. This will keep the set very unique and still be unified. As a designer myself I would definitely be bored with identical looking pipes; after-all, we cant have cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday for the rest of our lives.
The original inspiration pipe would be the most difficult to obtain as it belongs to Greg Pease and coming across the same style of pipe would require a major effort and a lot of cash, but hey if someone's ready to part with some serious cash after the set is done, I won't mind it at all. I can then work on the second set with one of my other favorite shape the Classic Dunhill Shell P

Before I even ask any pipe maker to start making a pipe (except the intial Layton pipe), I am designing my own stamp for the set (a simple monogrammed M as in Monk Pipes) from Mike at Creative Mints (Prague), here is an example of his work, my stamp would be less detailed as its nigh difficult to capture such detail in a small metal pipe die.

I have also to choose a box maker for the set, I just dont want the pipes to be contained in the box, rather the entire set would be a self sufficient unit with enough space for tobacco, tamper and the combined signatured document(s) from the makers. Think of a treasure chest with briar gold in it
Last but not the least a silver sterling tamper along these lines. I have one of these. I have not thought about the name of the set so it wont Mr. Shakespeare literally but something like this. Maybe a depicting the Prince of Wales himself?

In the end I will end up with having more than 7 pipes as I am sure I wont be satisfied with every pipe I commission. It will however be a nice long term project and a really classy adventure. Now to get the 93 pipes I bought this year and sell em at a nice margin to kickstart the project sometimes later this year.



Edit: One thing I wanted to ask, do you think a Gr. 4 dimension will work great for the set or is it good to keep the dimension of the inspiration pipe?
Cheers,

Chris

 

[cigrmaster]

I would consider Ryan Alden, Scott Thile, Jody Davis and Bruce Weaver.

 

[data]

Poul Winsløw

 

[jguss]

"Adam Davidson brought a matched pair of military Shell-style finish Princes to Chicago a couple years back. They were spectacular. He taught himself how to spin silver so that the "Dunhill vibe" remained intact. (A Dunnie cap's thickness is greater than a repair band, and a section of tubing has no taper. It's a tricky thing to get just right.)
As far as I know he's made several more as special orders since. Highly recommended."
George, I have one of Adam's princes (it was a commission in mid-2013, I think). Actually, as I recall mine's the first pipe on which Adam did his own silver. It has a very deep and rugged classic Dunhill type blast, a military mount, with a virgin finish. I strongly recommend him to be a candidate for Monk's proposed rotation.

 

[brudnod]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371526791356?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

up for sale...

 

[gloucesterman]

Monk, here is a current Italian carver. He made several pipes for me and I like them all. Moretti Pipes



His work is very good, prices are very reasonable and he turns the work around quickly. If you want an E-mail address PM me.

 

[moriarty]

Pipe Monk,

Sadly the Prince of Wales for whom this shape was created, who later (and briefly) became King Edward VIII, was a profoundly unpleasant and stupid man and a fervent supporter of Adolf Hitler. It is said that he argued for Britain to enter the war on Hitler's side, and that he plotted with Hitler to get back his throne after Germany's victory. He considered his younger brother, Prince John to be "more like an animal" because he had autism. I don't know whether this might affect your feelings about commemorating his image in a tamper. But I guess if you wanted to go this way for historical authenticity then I wonder if you could find a contemporary antique image or object of some sort with the Prince's face and cast it into perspex.

An alternative with none of the moral issues might be to use the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales in your design (three white feathers with the motto "ich dien" - meaning "I serve"). Variations of this emblem were used by the Princes of Wales since the 14th century, and it is still used by the current Prince of Wales. You're probably aware that the Prince of Wales title is conventionally bestowed on the first heir to the British throne. With a bit of research you could find how the badge was designed in the 1920s. This is the present design, which Prince Charles uses.

 

[moriarty]

Pipe Monk, you asked a question about the size of the pipes and whether they should follow the size of the inspiration pipe. I don't think they have to be the same at all. I personally like a group 4 sized prince. I don't see any issue with including a smaller 1920s pipe in the display. Although my guess is that the older English princes would frequently be group 4 size as well. I don't think it matters. But this is a purely aesthetic choice and depends entirely on your own feelings.
By the way, all of your ideas about the pipes and the accessories seem very cool to me. You're really going for it in style, and you have put a lot of thought into it. It is going to be something special, no matter which pipe makers you select.

 

[ssjones]

68 Dunhill Prince Root Briar

http://www.ebay.com/itm/401049228453?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[disinformatique]

@mothernature Kyriazanos is definitely one of the best pipe makers.
@ssjones wow those are some awesome Prince pipes. I am broke for a few months or I would have gotten the Prince you posted.
@bubbleheaddiver Eltang is definitely the Danish living masters in my list. I will be including him in the set.
@MLC wow those Princes are perfect !! I must have atleast one Loewe Prince shapes. Chris is definitely on my list. Man I think the 7 day set will become a 14 day set easily. So many talented pipe makers in the list, its mindboggling. I would love a Blue Riband Prince in my Comoy's Collection.
@georged That is impressive George, I would definitely talk to Adam about the project. I havent seen much of his work but will do now.
@clicklick Adam that is one fine list of pipe makers buddy. I think I will collect all the names and let The Dark Lord select 7 or 14 for me.
@cigrmaster WOW what a lineup
@data I have to talk to Poul if he is comfy doing silverwork He is indeed one of the great Danish Masters.
@jguss Going to checkout Adam's work.
@gloucesterman Awesome, I'll have a chat with him.
@moriarty Somehow the history went under my radar. We all know how crazy James was The coat of arms is a far superior concept and I love it !! Being a designer I have a serious afflication of doing thing or atleast conceptualizing things Grande There are so many talented pipe makers and leaving anyone out of the list seems difficult. I would have to ask the Dark Lord himself to select 7 for me.
Gr. 4 sees a definite for me, not too big nor too small. Perfect for a 60-90 minute smoke. Just a little update, Clark will be working on Pipe Zero, will see how it pans and if I even love it enough to make a multi-thousand dollar set.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe:

 

[misterlowercase]

Moriarty,

you make a most excellent point and offer a wonderful solution with the heraldic badge,

well done!

The King's Speech includes some of those craven aspects associated with the man himself, and anyway that movie is deffo worth watching because it is just damn good.
Monk,

if you haven't seen it, check the movie out.
And,

I'm getting excited just to see how all of this progresses along.
This is a great thread!

:clap:

 

[misterlowercase]

Here's a couple of army mount prince adverts circa 1921/22...

:

 

[glpease]

This thread is reminding me why the prince is, and always has been, amongst my absolute faves. I'm not sure I'm happy for the love they're getting, though. Time wasn't so far back when people didn't dig 'em, and they'd show up on ebay and estate pages with little competition for their acquisition. The same was once true for lovats, classic GBDs and Castello 55s. Things are different now. My crystal ball seems to somehow predict trends...