Another Generous Gift: A Color Duke at Long Last

[mikethompson]

Some of you may know/recall that I have been looking for a decent green Color Duke Dr. Grabow for some time. I've looked at all the usual places, and they are either way over priced, or completely destroyed.

I spotted a green one on eBay that had a hole blown out of it and made a thread about it.

Yikes! This is a burn out!. <--- link

Anyway, in the thread a very generous member, @Swampdragon69 mentioned he had one, and offered to send it to me. In addition to the green color, he also had a red one.

Through a very scenic and leisurely postal journey, I was able to finally get the package the other day. He sent the green one *and* the red one. They are both in incredible shape, and will probably only need a good cleaning to look brand new.

While I know the color is polarizing, I think we can all agree that this was an amazing gesture of generosity and kindness.

Matt, thank you!

On to my awful pics:

 

[Ahi Ka]

Wow. Just wow. Stoked for ya. Keep posting your chinese pipe reviews and these gifts will come piling in

 

[scloyd]

That is awesome Mike.

Well done Swampdragon69...very kind of you.

 

[kcghost]

For Grabows they are very nice pipes.

 

[ray47]

Christmas pipes.

 

[cshubhra]

Very nice ? gesture by Swampdragon. Enjoy ?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Good stuff!

Would the solid color indicate painting vs. stain?

 

[mikethompson]

Keep posting your chinese pipe reviews

You want me to get banned?

Would the solid color indicate painting vs. stain?

Definitely painted. There actually was a thread several years ago where someone stripped the paint off theirs and stained it, the briar looked pretty good actually, no fills or anything.

 

[olkofri]

Well, red and green are complementary colours, so just smoke them both at the same time: John Woo smoking!

 

[anotherbob]

Well, red and green are complementary colours, so just smoke them both at the same time: John Woo smoking!

John Who?

 

[Grangerous]

Mike,
There’s a unique, unsmoked White Briar Kaywoodie currently listed on Blue Room Briars.

If colored Briars are your thing. I think this was a Christmas ? Pipe FYI - Jim

 

[mso489]

I think the reservations on Dr. Grabow pipes are based entirely on price. I think they're good pipes. I've enjoyed mine for years. And those are some handsome ones. Good on swampy!

 

[mikethompson]

Mike,
There’s a unique, unsmoked White Briar Kaywoodie currently listed on Blue Room Briars.
View attachment 62068
If colored Briars are your thing. I think this was a Christmas ? Pipe FYI - Jim

Looks good, but I'm saving my schillings for something else I have in mind.

I think the reservations on Dr. Grabow pipes are based entirely on price.

I agree, I've never read a negative review of a Grabow. Wasn't there some story of a high end pipe collector that said they smoke just as well as his Grabow?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Well, red and green are complementary colours, so just smoke them both at the same time: John Woo smoking!

Also hard on the eyes. It's why Wes Kraven chose those colors for Freddy Kruger's sweater.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Looks good, but I'm saving my schillings for something else I have in mind.



I agree, I've never read a negative review of a Grabow. Wasn't there some story of a high end pipe collector that said they smoke just as well as his Grabow?

The newer ones I've purchased have had edges on that metal tenon that have chewed up the inside of the mortise, but ones pre 2000 are great. As far as smoking, they're just as good as any artisan piece I own.

 

[mikethompson]

but ones pre 2000 are great

29 years in the safety zone then

 

[davet]

I only have a few, the yellow and Olympic ones are unsmoked. Colorful but I never smoke them.

 

[Chasing Embers]

29 years in the safety zone then

View attachment 62099

Big fan of the older ones especially the Linkman's.

 

[bent1]

Remember these from the 70’s Playboy advertisements. Used to see them in the wild, back in the day.

 

[Swampdragon69]

Some of you may know/recall that I have been looking for a decent green Color Duke Dr. Grabow for some time. I've looked at all the usual places, and they are either way over priced, or completely destroyed.

I spotted a green one on eBay that had a hole blown out of it and made a thread about it.

Yikes! This is a burn out!. <--- link
“

Wow. Just wow. Stoked for ya. Keep posting your chinese pipe reviews and these gifts will come piling in

Wait a Second! Those used to be mine! I am the Swampdragon. I felt really bad for Mike. I thought that he had a burnout. I did not like that style of Doctor. Got them both cheap at a Flea market. Both unsmoked when I bought them. Smoked the green one once. I just missed to sign-up for the Secret Santa ?? on here. I offered them for trade not thinking that he was out of country. We managed to work it out. I got my trade from South Carolina Just before Christmas. It took a lot longer to get to the Great White North.
Anyway, in the thread a very generous member, @Swampdragon69 mentioned he had one, and offered to send it to me. In addition to the green color, he also had a red one.

Through a very scenic and leisurely postal journey, I was able to finally get the package the other day. He sent the green one *and* the red one. They are both in incredible shape, and will probably only need a good cleaning to look brand new.

While I know the color is polarizing, I think we can all agree that this was an amazing gesture of generosity and kindness.

Matt, thank you!

On to my awful pics:

View attachment 62031View attachment 62032