Cellini Original

[Ziggywm]

In 1971 I was in Chicago. After checking out Iwan Ries my girlfriend (later my wife) and I made our way to Victory Pipe Shop. Its an over used phrase, but I was a kid in a candy store - absolutely blew my mind! There were pipes everywhere, displayed and in boxes. I took my time and waited for something to speak to me. Well here is what caught my eye, and with never a regret in 50 years. I guess its a Panel Volcano Rocker Straight Grain, but the Birdseye is unbelievable as well. I paid $35. And is a beautiful smoker. A great loss that Victory Pipe Shop is gone

 

[agnosticpipe]

Love the pipe, and that grain is spectacular! Here's my only Cellini Original, not much going on with the grain, but I was really taken by the shape.

 

[Ziggywm]

Love the pipe, and that grain is spectacular! Here's my only Cellini Original, not much going on with the grain, but I was really taken by the shape.

View attachment 60495

Did you buy it at Victory before they closed in the early 80s? Beautifully shaped pipe. They did amazing work. I bet it's a good smoker, too.

 

[dmcmtk]

Cellini definitely made some fine smoking pipes! I know I have at least one, I should dig it out of the pipe vault.

 

[Ziggywm]

Cellini definitely made some fine smoking pipes! I know I have at least one, I should dig it out of the pipe vault.

Post a picture when you find it.

 

[mso489]

Thirty five was more like one hundred today, but it is a beautiful pipe at that price too. Highly distinctive shaping and excellent grain all around.

 

[stevecourtright]

I have a few Cellini pipes that I picked up. It's kind of fun to have pipes made near where I live, and have some history attached to Chicago. Some are a little clunky, they smoke ok, are a bit on the heavy side, but the fun factor makes them part of my rotation. I hear that the "freehand" ones are pretty special and tend to bring a higher price than those pictured here, but I have yet to wrestle one of those from the eBay hordes...

 

[kcghost]

It has a very nice volcano shape to it!!

 

[Ziggywm]

I have a few Cellini pipes that I picked up. It's kind of fun to have pipes made near where I live, and have some history attached to Chicago. Some are a little clunky, they smoke ok, are a bit on the heavy side, but the fun factor makes them part of my rotation. I hear that the "freehand" ones are pretty special and tend to bring a higher price than those pictured here, but I have yet to wrestle one of those from the eBay hordes...

View attachment 60514

I really like the bent bollard. Looks like nice grain, too.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Did you buy it at Victory before they closed in the early 80s? Beautifully shaped pipe. They did amazing work. I bet it's a good smoker, too.

No, I've only had it for a year or so. Bought it cheap off eBay. I had another one years ago but sold it because I wasn't smoking it, and it wasn't very special. I like this one much more and it is an excellent smoker!

 

[dino]

From the 1960s to the 1980s Cellini's was my go-to pipe shop. I own 10 Cellini pipes, all great smokers. One of them is a pipe Primo (their master carver) customized and personalized for me. I don't remember ever paying more than $30 for a pipe, most were between $10 and $20.

 

[Ziggywm]

From the 1960s to the 1980s Cellini's was my go-to pipe shop. I own 10 Cellini pipes, all great smokers. One of them is a pipe Primo (their master carver) customized and personalized for me. I don't remember ever paying more than $30 for a pipe, most were between $10 and $20.

Mine might have been $30 rather than $35 or I am remembering the price with the government's take. Just an aside, I was appalled the last time I was at Iwan Ries (a year ago) and purchased a five pack of Davidoff Churchills cigars. Wow, the tax knocked my socks off. ? Well, in the Windy City you pay for your thrills

 

[stevecourtright]

Mine might have been $30 rather than $35 or I am remembering the price with the government's take. Just an aside, I was appalled the last time I was at Iwan Ries (a year ago) and purchased a five pack of Davidoff Churchills cigars. Wow, the tax knocked my socks off. ? Well, in the Windy City you pay for your thrills

My office is (was) a few block from Iwan Ries (I know, I know) and I have to swallow hard every time I purchase tobacco there. But paying for one's thrills has always been the way it goes here in Chicago (one way or the other). On the other hand, Iwan Ries has always, always gone above and beyond to take care of me. One time (and I have a few of these stories) I brought in an expensive lighter that I bought elsewhere in the hopes that it could be repaired to working condition. The manager there put it in his pocket after fiddling with it for a few minutes, reached into the cabinet and gave me a new one of equal value. I protested, of course, but the manager said something like, "Our vendors are very loyal because of our long history. They won't mind reimbursing us for this." Pretty cool. So, at least in this case, you sometimes get more than what you paid for.

 

[Ziggywm]

My office is (was) a few block from Iwan Ries (I know, I know) and I have to swallow hard every time I purchase tobacco there. But paying for one's thrills has always been the way it goes here in Chicago (one way or the other). On the other hand, Iwan Ries has always, always gone above and beyond to take care of me. One time (and I have a few of these stories) I brought in an expensive lighter that I bought elsewhere in the hopes that it could be repaired to working condition. The manager there put it in his pocket after fiddling with it for a few minutes, reached into the cabinet and gave me a new one of equal value. I protested, of course, but the manager said something like, "Our vendors are very loyal because of our long history. They won't mind reimbursing us for this." Pretty cool. So, at least in this case, you sometimes get more than what you paid for.

I bet that was a Dunhill lighter! Mr. Levin, the owner, has always been very kind to me. When I bought those gars my son and daughter-in-law were with me. I asked if we could see the smoking room/club. He gave us a personal tour. I hope they can hold on as a B&M pipe shop.

 

[BROBS]

I bet that was a Dunhill lighter! Mr. Levin, the owner, has always been very kind to me. When I bought those gars my son and daughter-in-law were with me. I asked if we could see the smoking room/club. He gave us a personal tour. I hope they can hold on as a B&M pipe shop.

I think they will simply because they own that building.