Golden Age of Pipes

[The Amish Tyrant]

After seeing the high end pipe thread with pipes from various dates and makers, including a few factory pipes, what era/period would you consider the Golden Age for tobacco pipes?

I enjoy some of the newer craftsmanship and that of old. I also like the look of combining the two, such as saving a pipe with a new band or stem. As a result, I would say the time is now.

Thoughts?

 

[sablebrush52]

As with my response to your question about the "golden" age of tobaccos, I don'tbelieve there is a correct answer to this question. It comes down to what appeals to you.

If you're looking for traditional shapes outfitted with elegant sterling silver work, perhaps encased in alligator or fine calf leather, then it's the period from the 1880's through the teens of the last century. If you prefer open draws, thin bite zones, and idiosyncratic design, it's now. If your tastes are more catholic, it's always a golden age.

 

[Streeper541]

There was an interesting series of videos on The Golden Age of Pipe Smoking on YouTube. You might enjoy it.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

A simple, but, wiseass answer is the Golden Age is now—you have access to pipes from the 1880s and everything between them and 2022.

 

[Chasing Embers]

1900-1960s Since then it's dwindled from a publicly accepted pursuit to a slowly fading niche activity.

 

[OzPiper]

If you're talking of availability of pipes:

Back in the very early 1970s when I started smoking pipes, B&Ms were limited and there was no internet.

Getting back to pipe smoking a few years ago, there are even less B&Ms around.
In fact NONE in Sydney, Oz.

The internet means infinitely greater choice of pipes from vendors all over the globe.
And had been mentioned by previous posters - pipes from the 1800s to the present.

If you're talking of the Golden Age of pipe making:

As stated by @sablebrush52 (and I defer to his experience and wisdom), it's where your interest lie.

If modern artisanal pipes, then it is now.
If classical old Britwoods, then late 1800s until 1920s
If factory Britwoods, then pre-1970 (pre-Cadogan)
If factory Damish pipes, then 1960s -2000 or thereabouts when most of the Danish factories or pipe making shops closed and production shifted to other countries.

 

[Briar Lee]

There is and can be no valid comparison between today’s luxurious and perfect artisan creations and the factory pipes from even Dr Grabow, and the bad old days.

A forty dollar Dr Grabow is a thousand times better pipe than the miserable Kaywoodie Magnums sold during my youth.

Even a Missouri Meerschaum today, is a much better and improved pipe than fifty years ago.

And the same is true for every other article of commerce under the sun.

The best car I’ve ever owned in my life sits in my driveway.

 

[beefeater33]

And the same is true for every other article of commerce under the sun.

I wouldn't go that far.............. I can think of a lot of things that the quality has suffered in the last 50 years. Levi's jeans, Appliances (we have a 50 year old refrigerator at work that's still gettin' it done, and I'm lucky to get 6 years out of the new ones), Lumber, etc. etc.................

 

[Alejo R.]

The golden age of pipes? Without a doubt, TODAY.

There have never been as many craftsmen making high quality pipes as there are today.

Thanks to the internet there have never been so many educated and informed people about pipes as there are today. That is reflected in the pipes, look for a Dunhill from the 80s and 90s and tell me. Do it with a Savinelli. If you see the change in quality in Chacón, it's impressive.

Never before has there been a means of communication and direct marketing between pipe makers and smokers like today.

We are on an upward curve and we haven't reached the peak yet.

Now, if the question is: When was the golden age of pipe smoking? The answer would be a completely different one.

 

[Alejo R.]

I wouldn't go that far.............. I can think of a lot of things that the quality has suffered in the last 50 years. Levi's jeans, Appliances (we have a 50 year old refrigerator at work that's still gettin' it done, and I'm lucky to get 6 years out of the new ones), Lumber, etc. etc.................

First let me clarify that I am not an American nor do I live in America. But I believe that quality things still exist, but we have been educated that it is better to have many or very many things of medium and low quality than to have only the necessary but good quality ones. In a certain way it allowed access to certain goods to many people, but from another point of view it put us in a hamster wheel where we are consuming and discarding all the time.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

When I watch old movies on tcm, 1920 - 1960 or so certainly seems like a golden age. To me The most appealing thing about that era is that pipe smoking seems to have been so normal, relaxed, casual —without connotations.

 

[ashdigger]

If you knew the exact cost of my cellar and racks it’d be now, now is the golden calf, I mean age.

 

[bullet08]

Golden Age was "yesterday". Sure ain't today. And it won't be tomorrow.

 

[anotherbob]

in a lot of ways we have it better and a lot of ways we have it worst. Funny how life works like that.