I recently won an ebay auction for a pipe made by Richard Friedman. Ive wanted one of his pipes for a while due to his connection to Alaska as a Yacht captain. Unfortunately he stopped making pipes a few years back.
When the pipe arrived, I noticed it had his RMF nomenclature and Anchor stamp, as well as a “1” stamped on it. I figured it was some kind of grading stamp, but couldn’t find any info online so I called him.
He immediately laughed, and said “Is it a kind of danish scoop with a horn shank mount and amberoid stem?” I answered in the affirmative. He then said “It is stamped with a 1 because it is the first pipe I ever made!”
He then regaled me with the story of carving the pipe in his mentor Tonni Nielsen’s shop with Tonni looking over his shoulder and helping him through the process. He credited Tonni for the pipes symmetry and exquisite horn work.
It was quite a privilege to hear a great pipe maker tell me the story, in detail, of making his first pipe ever. Even more of a privilege to own it.
When the pipe arrived, I noticed it had his RMF nomenclature and Anchor stamp, as well as a “1” stamped on it. I figured it was some kind of grading stamp, but couldn’t find any info online so I called him.
He immediately laughed, and said “Is it a kind of danish scoop with a horn shank mount and amberoid stem?” I answered in the affirmative. He then said “It is stamped with a 1 because it is the first pipe I ever made!”
He then regaled me with the story of carving the pipe in his mentor Tonni Nielsen’s shop with Tonni looking over his shoulder and helping him through the process. He credited Tonni for the pipes symmetry and exquisite horn work.
It was quite a privilege to hear a great pipe maker tell me the story, in detail, of making his first pipe ever. Even more of a privilege to own it.
