American Smoking Pipe Company - Christmas Pipes - Advent Calender

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tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
I had a thread going on looking for a ASP 1984 Christmas Pipe that seems to have run afoul of the rules, oh well.
One of the things that seemed to be of interest was seeing pics of some of the pipes. I have enough that we could do our very own version of an Advent calender, if you all are interested. I hope it's not too long for a post.
So, unless anyone has any objections, today would be the first day.
asp_1983_3-vi.jpg


Production for this first year would be six to eight pipes. This was a shape Mark and Curt selected out of a Pipe Dan catalog and added their own personal touch. It is marked with the Reg # 1083/CR, 703 and 12-25-83, This tells us Curt made it in October of 1983, it was priced at $70 when new and it is a Christmas pipe. The 703 was part of an early registration program Mark and Curt were using. The 703 indicated the area code where it was sold.
This one is in the Natural smooth finish.

Production Estimate - 6 to 8 Pipes

Prices $35 to $100

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
372
Mytown
Hey Tinpan, thanks for posting this. I love the idea of a Christmas Pipe Advent Calendar, and am looking forward to seeing all of these pipes.
Cheers,
-- Pat

 

jarit

Can't Leave
Jul 2, 2013
333
4
Excellent! I was just reading about the past Christmas pipes on Mark's site.
Thanks in advance for the advent calender.

 

yazamitaz

Lifer
Mar 1, 2013
1,757
1
I was also on Mark's site yesterday looking at Christmas pipes. I think I want to get one every year, just like a few tins of Christmas Cheer and a St Patty's Day Pete.

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
On the next day we would have the 1984 Christmas pipe, which I don't have. So I will move on to 1985.
1984:

This pipe is a gorgeous apple with six panels and a curved shank. Mark Tinsky and Curt Rollar teamed up to design this pipe.
Production Estimate - 18 Pipes

Prices $35 to $100

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
asp_1985_3-vi.jpg


This is also a great classic shape and one of my favorites. Curt designed and made the pipes this year. This is the last year of the star with no ring logo. This one is finished in the natural smooth finish and has the following Reg number12/25/85. It also has a 1 which prices it as a $100 pipe when new.

Production Estimate - 36 Pipes

Prices $35 to $125

 

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
611
I LOVE this idea. And I really appreciate the obscure knowledge about American Smoking Pipe Co. There are lots of folks who have similar knowledge about Dunhill or Barling, but not so much with the great American makers of the past 30 years or so. It's great to see this information shared and circulated so that it survives.

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
Good, I am glad you guys like this.
One of my other hobbies is gold prospecting and I have spent years documenting the history and heritage of gold prospecting in Virginia. Not many folks know that Virginia and North Carolina had a gold rush that pre-dated California's by 50 years. " There's gold in them there hills!", actually comes from Dahlonega GA and was a saying proclaimed by the local merchants to the miners as they left GA to head to CA.
I have a bunch of stuff on these pipes and I will post that info after Christmas, you'll see why I'm waiting and I think you'll like it. I like documenting things and I thought about these pipes and thought the time was good to pull a little information together.

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,709
tinpan, cool pipes. I have a question a little off topic from the OP. You seem to know the APC markings very well. I have a pipe with a Reg. No. 01/CR86, with an 8 below that. Now I understand the pipe being made in January 1986 by Curt Rollar, do you know the significance of the 8?
Dave

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
Hi Dave, you are straight on with your deciphering. The 8 means it sold for $85 when new.

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
asp_1986_2-vi.jpg


This years pipe is a pear with a bent shank and it features the familiar ASP star logo with the briar ring. It was designed by Curt Rollar and John B. Hayes. It's the first year " John B. Hayes Christmas" would be stamped on the pipe followed by the year. This one features the brown stain with the smooth finish and was priced at $65 when new.

Production Estimate - 36 Pipes

Prices $35 to $125

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,982
13,002
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
Thanks for posting Tinpan. I love Marks Christmas pipes. I stop in JB Hayes shop occasionally (Fair Oaks), it is one of my favorite shops. John always has a few new Tinsky pipes in the case. I didn't know Mark made a Christmas pipe for the shop. John talks quite fondly about Mark, so I'm not surprised. I'll look forward to seeing the rest of your collection.

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
Ahhh, the story of the American Smoking Pipe Company's Christmas pipe would be incomplete without mention of the John B. Hayes Tobacco Shop...



The Best of Times


The first dozen or so years would lay the foundation for this great series of pipes. The Christmas pipe began as a collaboration with John B. Hayes, Curt Rollar and Mark Tinsky. The three of them would take turns designing or collaborating in designing each year's Christmas pipe.
In the beginning of this time frame the usual finishes were natural smooth, a dark sand blast or a red or brown smooth stained finish. Towards the end of this time frame slight variations of the stains would begin to show up as Mark began experimenting with finishes and pipe stem logos.

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
asp_1987_2-vi.jpg


This pipe was originally a shape Curt designed for John B. Hayes. The shape was used and the shank was changed to a round taper. This is also the first year Mark and Curt teamed up to make the pipes with Mark doing the lathe work for the top and drilling and Curt doing the final shaping. This pipe is a timeless classic and every now and then one pops up for sale. This pipe is in the natural smooth finish, has both Curt and Mark's stamp in the reg number and sold for $100 when new.

Production Estimate - 150 Pipes

Prices $75 to $300

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,982
13,002
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
I'll have to ask John about the shop Christmas pipes on the next visit, I love hearing him tell a tale.
I've been noticing some of the price ranges - $35 for a handmade pipe, amazing.
I'm going to schedule a "pipe forum" day at the JB Hayes shop in Winchester, shooting for 12/28. I hope that is close enough to you tinpan?

 

tinpan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 17, 2013
133
2
asp_1988_2-vi.jpg


This pipe is a classic billiard shape with a paneled diamond shank. Once again a Christmas classic was born, this pipe was Marks's design and is in the natural smooth finish. This pipe was made by Curt and sold for $125 when new.
Production Estimate - 100 Pipes

Prices $75 to $300

 
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