American Smoking Pipe Company - Christmas Pipes - Advent Calender
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It's the first year " John B. Hayes Christmas" would be stamped on the pipe followed by the year.
We'll have to wait and see how those stampings turn out.I would really encourage you to pick one up. I'll bet you do by the time I get to this years posting, take a look at the coral carve or the darkblast.They are within reach. I ended up getting my usual smooth finish and dark blast. I also got a tanblast he just HAD to send me a picture of. Last year's pipe was killer as well, a real sleeper.
How about a two fer today and a little more background info?
This is the one that started everything
Mark began making this series with Curt in 1983. It got it's beginnings in John B. Hayes Tobacco Shop and would later go on to be one of the first pipes offered for sale on the internet.
The Beginning
In 1987 or 1988 I walked into John B. Hayes Tobacconist and began speaking with Ed, one of JBH's salesmen. Ed is the person who ultimately set off this paradigm when he sold me my first American Smoking Pipe, an Oom Paul made by Mark Tinsky.
Ed spent a lot of time showing me pipes from the magic drawer. JBH had a drawer,actually three of them full of hundreds of pipes made by the American Smoking Pipe Company. Those drawers were incredible, inside were the most pipes I had ever seen. There were freehands with the natural plateaux tops, classic shapes, billiards, dublins, you name it and they were in there. Truly an awe inspiring sight.
Ed selected an Oom Paul and placed it in my hands. It had the most elegant graceful lines and it felt good to hold. I handed it back to Ed because it was $75 and I wasn't sure about spending that much money. Ed promptly placed it back in my hands and and soon it ended up following me home.
Several more followed by several more over the next few months. Every time I walked into the store I would be greeted by Ed and we would peruse the magic drawers. Ultimately I ended up working st JBH part time, although I don't think I actually walked out of the store with any paychecks. I always seemed to have a pipe on lay away.
John had an annual event at Christmas time where he, Mark Tinsky and Curt Rollar would design a Christmas pipe and host a pipe sale. Mark and Curt would make however many Christmas pipes they thought would sell, bring them and other new creations to this annual sale in JBH’s store.
The store would usually open at 10 am and the pipe sale would be held on a Saturday a couple weeks before Christmas.The store would open at 8 am for the sale. Mark and Curt would bring about 80 of this year's Christmas pipes and usually over a hundred other new pipes. Looking out over a couple hundred new pipes for sale was a sight to behold. My first ASP Christmas pipe was a 1988 finished in the dark sandblast finish.
The next three or four years would find me selling IT products for my day job and hanging out a couple week nights and Saturdays in JBH’s store selling pipes for an hourly rate. I learned so much about the pipe industry during this time. Mark also had an interest in IT technology, he would often like to discuss the latest IT trends. I would grill him and John about pipes. I think Mark also enjoyed those years because he started showing up with the nicest Christmas pipe he made and it was always made just for me...hmmm. I think he enjoyed turning the tables on me. I will say, the 1989 he sold me was a particularly nice Christmas pipe. I will always look back at those happy days, they were truly wonderful.
This is the one that started everything
Mark began making this series with Curt in 1983. It got it's beginnings in John B. Hayes Tobacco Shop and would later go on to be one of the first pipes offered for sale on the internet.
The Beginning
In 1987 or 1988 I walked into John B. Hayes Tobacconist and began speaking with Ed, one of JBH's salesmen. Ed is the person who ultimately set off this paradigm when he sold me my first American Smoking Pipe, an Oom Paul made by Mark Tinsky.
Ed spent a lot of time showing me pipes from the magic drawer. JBH had a drawer,actually three of them full of hundreds of pipes made by the American Smoking Pipe Company. Those drawers were incredible, inside were the most pipes I had ever seen. There were freehands with the natural plateaux tops, classic shapes, billiards, dublins, you name it and they were in there. Truly an awe inspiring sight.
Ed selected an Oom Paul and placed it in my hands. It had the most elegant graceful lines and it felt good to hold. I handed it back to Ed because it was $75 and I wasn't sure about spending that much money. Ed promptly placed it back in my hands and and soon it ended up following me home.
Several more followed by several more over the next few months. Every time I walked into the store I would be greeted by Ed and we would peruse the magic drawers. Ultimately I ended up working st JBH part time, although I don't think I actually walked out of the store with any paychecks. I always seemed to have a pipe on lay away.
John had an annual event at Christmas time where he, Mark Tinsky and Curt Rollar would design a Christmas pipe and host a pipe sale. Mark and Curt would make however many Christmas pipes they thought would sell, bring them and other new creations to this annual sale in JBH’s store.
The store would usually open at 10 am and the pipe sale would be held on a Saturday a couple weeks before Christmas.The store would open at 8 am for the sale. Mark and Curt would bring about 80 of this year's Christmas pipes and usually over a hundred other new pipes. Looking out over a couple hundred new pipes for sale was a sight to behold. My first ASP Christmas pipe was a 1988 finished in the dark sandblast finish.
The next three or four years would find me selling IT products for my day job and hanging out a couple week nights and Saturdays in JBH’s store selling pipes for an hourly rate. I learned so much about the pipe industry during this time. Mark also had an interest in IT technology, he would often like to discuss the latest IT trends. I would grill him and John about pipes. I think Mark also enjoyed those years because he started showing up with the nicest Christmas pipe he made and it was always made just for me...hmmm. I think he enjoyed turning the tables on me. I will say, the 1989 he sold me was a particularly nice Christmas pipe. I will always look back at those happy days, they were truly wonderful.
What a great tale, you were smart to take the opportunity to work with these folks. I'll look forward to meeting you at the Winchester store after Christmas.
I only know John and King from the Fairoaks store, but really enjoy talking to them on my infrequent visits.
I only know John and King from the Fairoaks store, but really enjoy talking to them on my infrequent visits.
tin - great, great thread. I'm a big fan of MT, who used to be a member of our Morley's Pipe Club in Philly when he was based in the Poconos. Some summer, he and I were going to go fishing on one of Montana trips. Good time to commission another MT from MT. He has variations of the bulldog shaped completely nailed.
hp
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The Danish
This year Curt designed the pipe and John modified it. It featured a very danish shape and borrowed the shank from the 1987 pipe. It is a very graceful shape, This one was made by Mark, is finished in the red stain, and sold for
$ 200 when new.
Production Estimate - 100 Pipes
Prices $75 to $300
1990 - The Cutty
This is my favorite design. Mark designed this pipe and Curt and Mark again collaborated in making them. The engineering on this pipe was remarkable. Every single one of these pipes would balance on the stem. This one is in the natural smooth finish and sold for $ 125.
Production Estimate - 80 to 90 Pipes
Prices $75 to $300
I am a new Tinsky fan and have last years and this years Christmas Pipes. This thread really excites me. I look forward to seeing the rest. Thanks Tinpan.
billbearcat, last year's pipe was a killer. It was a real sleeper. This year's is also excellent. You should be really happy with them.
Sometimes in the pipe world people lament about earlier production being the best. IMHO, starting in 2000 I think Mark developed his pipes to a point where he was finally happy with them. I can remember when JBH's started selling Ser Jacapo pipes and Mark was fascinated with their finishes. I thought they were boring at the time, but years later I could see the Coral Carve finish blossom to one of my favorite finishes. I think the pipes he is making now are the best ones he has offered.
Sometimes in the pipe world people lament about earlier production being the best. IMHO, starting in 2000 I think Mark developed his pipes to a point where he was finally happy with them. I can remember when JBH's started selling Ser Jacapo pipes and Mark was fascinated with their finishes. I thought they were boring at the time, but years later I could see the Coral Carve finish blossom to one of my favorite finishes. I think the pipes he is making now are the best ones he has offered.
I am extremely happy with them. They are both Coral finished. The texture is awesome to look at and to hold. I only wish that I would have found them earlier on, so that I could have bought more. I may even limit myself to his pipes alone. (I have to slow down my pipe purchases)
Great thread. I am excited to see the rest.
Great thread. I am excited to see the rest.
1991 - The Paneled Dublin
This pipe is a dublin with a bent shank and six panels grace the bowl. Curt had designed this pipe as a catalog shape in 1990. It was so nice it was used for this years Christmas pipe and is still available as a catalog shape. This one was made by Mark it is finished in the natural smooth finish.
Production Estimate - 90 Pipes
Prices $75 to $300
Loving this thread.
I have to say, that this thread has had me at the ASPCo. web page about ten times in the last four days. I'm drooling over a couple of the previous year's Christmas pipes and some of the one-of pipes. PAD Demon is striking at a tough time of year for $$.
Must... stay... strong!
-- Pat
I have to say, that this thread has had me at the ASPCo. web page about ten times in the last four days. I'm drooling over a couple of the previous year's Christmas pipes and some of the one-of pipes. PAD Demon is striking at a tough time of year for $$.
Must... stay... strong!
-- Pat
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