Gift To Self; NOS PAD And A Little TAD!

[petes03]

Here's what I got myself this week;
1x Butera Pelican
1x Sutliff Molto Dolce
And a NOS Aldo Velani "58" Suprema saddle bit billiard.
It's been a good week for me, other than the stomach virus I had for a couple days. Earlier this week, my wife gifted me a Meer Queen Golden Series calabash!

 

[petes03]

 

[petes03]

 

[sablebrush52]

That's an exquisite looking pipe! Congratulations on your gifts!

 

[jah76]

I have two Aldo Velani pipes that I really enjoy. Congrats on the new pipe.

 

[micdabutcher]

Gorgeous pipe. I like the way it looks like it's on fire. Beautiful!

 

[homeatsea]

Never seen grain colored like that. It's intense, I love it!

 

[petes03]

Well, I'm finishing up my first bowl in the Aldo right now, some Frog Morton. I must say, this thing smoke like a pipe costing two or three times it's purchase price! I couldn't be happier with it! It seems I'm on a pretty good streak, I haven't bought a bad smoking pipe in quite some time. I'd say my last 25 or so have been stellar smokers!

 

[petes03]

Incidentally, the last pipe I bought which produce a less than desirable smoke, was an estate Dr. Grabow Belvedere. And that's really only because it has a stinger, which I hate! It gurgles something fierce! The only tobacco I can smoke in it that doesn't gurgle or smoke wet in general, is Carter Hall and Sugar Barrel. Therefore it is a dedicated codger pipe, a job that it can do fairly well.

 

[irish]

Very nice gift to the self. Congrats and Merry Christmas! :puffpipe:

 

[petes03]

Thanks guys, and merry Christmas to y'all as well!
@homeatsea, the grain IS very intense on it, almost ghostly when you get real close to it!

 

[gwtwdbss]

That is a gorgeous Aldo. You saw and commented on the one I purchased from Dave Neeb last month. I really enjoy it. Yours looks amazing. Great job!

 

[flmason]

Congratulations on your new pipe. An excellent early Christmas gift.

 

[petes03]

Thanks guys! Chris, I seem to recall yours being a pretty good looker as well, am I correct? Feel free to post a pic of it in this thread if you want, I'd like to see it again.

 

[gwtwdbss]

Thanks, Here are a couple of pics of it's better birdseye side(the other side is mostly cross grain). It is 7/8+ plus chamber, nice open draw, and only 48g for its size makes for a really nice Latakia pipe. After the Five-Star discount I got it for around $72. I think I recall you getting a heck of a deal on yours but at the price I paid, I am more than satisfied and wouldn't hesitate to buy another Aldo.
http://www.mkelaw-pipes.com/html/pipee1869.html

 

[petes03]

That's a beauty Chris! Mine has a nice open draw as well, and the bore is about the same diameter as yours. The weight is perfect, though I don't know what it is. I'm using mine for Lats as well, and the price was $75 plus tax, which is a great bargain IMO!

 

[gwtwdbss]

That's an amazing deal on a New Aldo. Well done!

 

[petes03]

I thought so myself!

 

[petes03]

I don't think this will be my last Aldo Velani! My B&M has several more, including a bulldog which might be mine in the future!

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

Love that Aldo, Chris