Dunhill Tanshell #59 & Peterson 1905 Billiard Replica

[georged]

These two pipes are posted together because they are the best smokers I have. A tribute to my most tireless soldiers.
Neither is anything special to look at, and neither has its original stem. But the axiom about books and covers couldn't be more applicable.
The Dunhill was over-buffed when I got it as part of an estate "group deal", the bowl was already dark, and the stem had been chewed through. But the bones were good so I gave it a cleanup and new acrylic stem (you sharp-eyed guys were probably wondering what was up with the taller-than-normal button. When you get the chance to tailor-fit something, why not, right?)
The Pete was bought new in the early 2000's, and the stem swapped shortly after because it was a P-lip. The sideways white dot on its replacement is just a bit of smart assery that seemed funny to me at the time. :lol:
Performance-wise, though, I'll just put it this way: If every pipe smoked like one of these, 100% of the world's adult population would be devoted pipe smokers, and Planet Earth would be a much happier place. ::
.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Gorgeous, George. And tack sharp. What lens do you generally use for your pipe photos?

 

[cynicismandsugar]

Ooh, lens talk! [grabs popcorn]

 

[ssjones]

That discarded P-lip stem is firmly stuck in the end of my 1910 Patent Repro, and it smokes wonderfully thanks to your kindness.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Somehow, knowing they are superlative smokes makes them more fun to ogle.

The cake in both looks freshly baked...

 

[beefeater33]

Great pipes. My top smoker is a 1963 Dunhill Tanshell shape #60.......... very similar to your 59. It smokes anything I load it with effortlessly...........

George, that white dot on that Pete would set my OCD into OVERDRIVE!!!!...... I think it would really drive me nuts. I appreciate your sense of humor, but man, that's sacrilige!!.............. 8)

 

[georged]

What lens do you generally use for your pipe photos?

It's a Panasonic point & shoot camera with a built-in lens. I think Leica made it (though I'm sure it's their "consumer grade" stuff).
The tricky part with pipe photos is balancing distance and sharpness/clarity. By that I mean proportions get wonky (think fisheye type distortion) when your focal length goes down too far, but sharpness/clarity suffers when you shoot at low-shape-distortion "portrait" focal lengths.
Lately I've been trying to compromise everywhere, usually ending up around 45mm, shutter speeds around 1/80th, and light readings center weighted (not spot).
I've yet to be truly happy with any combination I've tried, though. Pipe "portrait" photos are technically a pig bitch: Reflective, dark(ish), 3-D object that's loaded with superfine detail, posed against a bright background. Often with white-bright silver ornamentation. :crying:
Greg Pease is a pro-level photographer with decades of experience, and he says still-life pipe shots are an invention of the Devil, introduced to to the world to drive humans mad. :lol: I agree. (Hm... that might explain why Neal Roan took a sabbatical from pipes after finishing his Comoy's book...) :twisted:

 

[joeman]

Even though the original and highly-cherished P-lip was ruthlessly separated forever from the pipe :lol: ...that is one heckuva lovely Pete you have there!

 

[georged]

George, that white dot on that Pete would set my OCD into OVERDRIVE!!!!...... I think it would really drive me nuts. I appreciate your sense of humor, but man, that's sacrilige!!.............. 8)

Exactly the reaction I was hoping for at the time. :twisted:
(It's amazing how many people have noticed over the years at shows and etc, and their reactions have been all over the map. From sober-sounding legal concerns regarding trademarks, to good old boy hoots of delight.)

 

[jpmcwjr]

Thanks for the reply on pipe shooting, George. I'd say lighting is the most difficult for most guys who post pix, a dark object on a too-light background. And then blown highlights when they turn on the flash.