Yea I know, George who?
Over the last few years there’s been a surge of outstanding pipes coming out of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries by makers such as Roman Kovalev (Doctor’s Pipes), Vladimir Grechukhin, Alexander Tupitsyn, Aleksić Dragomir (Alexa), Sergei Senatorov, Kolyo Demirev and yes, George Boyadjiev among others. I’ve picked up a few pipes from the lesser known makers, including an unusual olivewood sandblast, and all share very good to excellent workmanship and smoking quality at a very reasonable price.
My latest is this lovely quarter bent acorn with horn shank accent by George Boyadjiev of Bulgaria. George lives in Sofia and began making pipes about ten years ago when he bought a predrilled kit by Mark Tinsky which sparked his pipemaking passion. He is largely self-taught, relying on the internet, pipemaking forums and past mistakes as guides. Looks like he learned his lessons well.
I had never heard of George or seen any of his pipes until I came across them on the website of the Pfeifenkonsulat, an old pipe shop in Vienna that was featuring George Boyadjiev’s work. This one is a B grade (second highest) which cost about $270 including expedited shipping from Austria. Quite amazing for an entirely handmade pipe of this quality. Until recently, George obtained his briar from Greece but he now sources it from Italy, including Mimmo’s legendary briar. His stems are hand-cut from high-quality German ebonite rod stock but he also uses acrylic and Cumberland stock on occasion.
I’ve always liked this shape and the design has a nice Danish feel to it. Fit, finish and stemwork are all first-rate with the stem and shank fitted with a Delrin tenon and mortice. Higher-end pipes with horn shank extensions are usually fitted with a bronze or silver band around the horn’s mortice to offer additional strength and protect the horn from cracking. That’s about the only design feature lacking on an otherwise meticulously crafted pipe and not something one would expect to see at this price level.
The stem is cut nice and thin and is incredibly comfortable; one of the most comfortable I’ve come across. At 6.5 inches long and a bowl height of 2.25 inches it’s a goodly-sized piece and weighs in at about 60g. The thin stem and perfect balance make for a very easy and comfortable clencher. It’s one of the few pipes nowadays that doesn’t have a pre-carbonized or coated chamber so it may take a bit longer to break in. The drilling is spot-on dead center with a nice open draw. The pipe smoked surprisingly well right out of the box and should only get better with time.
I’m really impressed with this pipe. Beautiful styling, excellent finish and great smoking qualities. What’s more to want, especially at this price? George is a maker to watch and I’m pretty sure this won’t be the only Boyadjiev in my collection.
Over the last few years there’s been a surge of outstanding pipes coming out of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries by makers such as Roman Kovalev (Doctor’s Pipes), Vladimir Grechukhin, Alexander Tupitsyn, Aleksić Dragomir (Alexa), Sergei Senatorov, Kolyo Demirev and yes, George Boyadjiev among others. I’ve picked up a few pipes from the lesser known makers, including an unusual olivewood sandblast, and all share very good to excellent workmanship and smoking quality at a very reasonable price.
My latest is this lovely quarter bent acorn with horn shank accent by George Boyadjiev of Bulgaria. George lives in Sofia and began making pipes about ten years ago when he bought a predrilled kit by Mark Tinsky which sparked his pipemaking passion. He is largely self-taught, relying on the internet, pipemaking forums and past mistakes as guides. Looks like he learned his lessons well.
I had never heard of George or seen any of his pipes until I came across them on the website of the Pfeifenkonsulat, an old pipe shop in Vienna that was featuring George Boyadjiev’s work. This one is a B grade (second highest) which cost about $270 including expedited shipping from Austria. Quite amazing for an entirely handmade pipe of this quality. Until recently, George obtained his briar from Greece but he now sources it from Italy, including Mimmo’s legendary briar. His stems are hand-cut from high-quality German ebonite rod stock but he also uses acrylic and Cumberland stock on occasion.
I’ve always liked this shape and the design has a nice Danish feel to it. Fit, finish and stemwork are all first-rate with the stem and shank fitted with a Delrin tenon and mortice. Higher-end pipes with horn shank extensions are usually fitted with a bronze or silver band around the horn’s mortice to offer additional strength and protect the horn from cracking. That’s about the only design feature lacking on an otherwise meticulously crafted pipe and not something one would expect to see at this price level.
The stem is cut nice and thin and is incredibly comfortable; one of the most comfortable I’ve come across. At 6.5 inches long and a bowl height of 2.25 inches it’s a goodly-sized piece and weighs in at about 60g. The thin stem and perfect balance make for a very easy and comfortable clencher. It’s one of the few pipes nowadays that doesn’t have a pre-carbonized or coated chamber so it may take a bit longer to break in. The drilling is spot-on dead center with a nice open draw. The pipe smoked surprisingly well right out of the box and should only get better with time.
I’m really impressed with this pipe. Beautiful styling, excellent finish and great smoking qualities. What’s more to want, especially at this price? George is a maker to watch and I’m pretty sure this won’t be the only Boyadjiev in my collection.
