Bing Crosby Pipe shape?

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Aug 14, 2012
2,872
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Some Dunhill Crosbys. These are older pictures. Too lazy to shoot the current collection of them, which are 16.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
61,605
572,405
Holy cow!!! I always wanted one, but I expect they are out of my price range. Those are some beauties, Foggy!

 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,328
5,730
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
"I believe I heard it on a TV documentary, but I really can't cite which one. I don't think it was The American Masters that aired last December."
JimInks: You are correct. I have the DVD of "American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered" and no mention of the studio purchasing his pipes was made therein. Please let me know if/when you hear from bingcrosby.com (I assume that's the Website where you posed your inquiry), as I am curious to know the answer to this question.

 

skraps

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 9, 2015
790
5
I checked out the Sav version. I could stand the curved stem but can't deal with the golf art.
The golf art is annoying... but the damn curved stem bothered me more. I always straightened them.
The issue with the Savinelli and the Dunhill version of the Bing, is that they are a bit too bulky, and shorter than what he smoked, in my opinion anyway. Dunhill does it better, but I don't think either are the greatest re-creations.

 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,328
5,730
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
"The issue with the Savinelli and the Dunhill version of the Bing, is that they are a bit too bulky, and shorter than what he smoked..."
My Merchant Service Special measures almost seven-inches (six and 29/32" according to my drafting ruler) in length. Its bowl measures one and 22/32" in height, and one and 5/32 in outside diameter (26/32" inside diameter as measured from the top). The best word I can think of to describe this pipe is svelte!

 

skraps

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 9, 2015
790
5
The best word I can think of to describe this pipe is svelte!
Good descriptor. Some of the pics with him and the long shanked Billiards look like they are over 7 in. It might just be perception to me, but when I have a custom job done, 7 1/4 is the required length.
Bingandpipe.jpg


 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
This newspaper article describes the extreme lengths that people would go to in order to obtain a small piece of The Bing:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19820806&id=eUUsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qs0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4912,1382123&hl=en
We had people coming in that could afford a $5 million dollar ranch,

and they were stealing his pipes...
And,

even in the afterlife,

his statue at Gonzaga University has been continually robbed of its pipe!

https://morethanapipe.wordpress.com/
Related:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19811216&id=WagwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jO4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2117,373558&hl=en
:!:

 

skraps

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 9, 2015
790
5
That's some interesting reading, MLC.
Amazing when you think about it... "Bing's platinum record of Silent Night was bid up to $1,700". Could you imagine if that collectible went for $1,700--which seems like a rather low price to me--what his pipes probably fetched. I bet you could have got a pipe for $100 or so.

 

thefalcon

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 23, 2012
241
2
I have a copy of The Bing Crosby estate sale, and yes the Pipe lots including some Merchant Service Pipes could be had back then for a Ben Franklin! Would have loved to been able to attend the sale.
Eric

 

budrichard

Lurker
Jul 9, 2015
23
0
A recent 'Bing's Special' by Brian McNulty(Anima Pipes).
Described as a "Grade 3 cross grain Bing Smooth".

"The wood I used was Tuscan briar BTW. With a silver band and a semi-hand cut vulcanite bit."
I would guess that the long stem and silver ring were chosen for their theatrical value?

Pipe is 6&3/4" long. Looks like a ringer for the pipe in the pic except for the band.-Richard


 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,328
5,730
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
"I would guess that the long stem and silver ring were chosen for their theatrical value?"
With regard to the long stem, not at all. The Merchant Service Special was a standard shape produced by pipe-maker Herbert Merchant who had previously worked for Dunhill.
With regard to the silver band, my guess is that this was added to some of Mr. Crosby's pipes to reinforce the pipe's thin shank as a preventative measure against (or subsequent cure for) breakage. As you can see in the image below, Mr. Crosby's bands were wider.
79204.jpg


 

michaelmirza

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2015
638
0
Chicago, IL
I mainly just think of a billiard with a long, thin, pencil shank. Clearly some others have put more thought into this than I have.

 

briardan

Lurker
Feb 8, 2015
33
0
I believe Bing Crosby's true favorite pipe was a SASIENI! As well as Clark Gable. I had a Sasieni 2 dot family era that I recently sold. It was a near perfect specimen.

 

briardan

Lurker
Feb 8, 2015
33
0
If you are interested in a Crosby shape, I have a Willmer Belfair Estate I could part with for $40.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
61,605
572,405
Here's the one Basil Meadows made for me. Great smoker, well balanced, and it even sits up.


 
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basil

Might Stick Around
Nov 17, 2013
83
0
Thanks Jim, glad you like it. And a big thanks to Hunter for the specs!

 
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