Great GrandFather's Pipe

[easterntraveler]

Last Oct. my family was able to go visit my parents in Colorado to celebrate my sons 2nd birthday. While my father and I were outside enjoying a beer I decided to pull out my pipe. As I was packing my bowl my dad said “Hey boy nice pipe”. My parents are not smokers but I was not sure if it would bother him. After the compliment I lite my and my dad stood up and disappeared for about 20 minutes. At first I thought the smoke was bothering him so when he got back I told him if it bothered him he should have said something. My dad being my dad looked at me and said “O hell no boy". I smoked bunch of those Haji cigarettes when I was deployed in desert storm.” Then he pulled a small little bag out of his pocket and told me that my Great Grandfather use to smoke a pipe and handed me this modest briar pipe and told me he wanted me to have it since he never got around to learning to smoke a pipe. I'll post some pictures in a few days.
Their is an engraving on the pipe that says
L.L. Bean

Freeport, ME
Imported briar.

 

[mikestanley]

That is very,very cool.

mike S.

 

[hodirty]

What an excellent story. I would have loved to have one of my great grandfathers pipes, even if just to look at. Treasure that pipe, your great grandfather would have wanted you to.

 

[allan]

Eastern
That is a great story. I am not a very sentimental guy about objects, but the idea of smoking your great-grandfather's pipe is wonderful.
That is holding a real piece of history in your hands.

 

[pylorns]

Very cool. I too have some hand-me-downs from father to grandfather to great-grandfather.

 

[plateauguy]

You're a lucky man, Eastern. When my grandfather died, someone threw out all of his "dirty" pipe smoking things.

 

[ejames]

That's great that you have something that belonged to your GREAT grandfather!

 

[bentmike]

Congrats! -That's a great story thanks for sharing. Look forward to seeing the LL Bean pipe.

 

[papipeguy]

Very cool story. Those LL Bean pipes were made by Briarcraft and are collectors items. Here's mine that I got in the 1970's from LL Bean. I'd like to see yours.

 

[stbruno70]

How wonderful that you inherited a pipe from your great-grandfather and that it is an LL Bean, which have not been produced for some time now.

 

[tuold]

Right after my dad passed away all the relatives swooped in and scooped up all the swag they thought should be coming to them. About the only thing left were his dad's old dusty pipes that he put away years ago when my grandfather died.
I'm happy having those, because that's how I remember my grandfather, sitting in his chair listening to a baseball game on a radio next to him while watching one on TV and smoking his pipe the whole time.
I also found all the family photo albums untouched so I've become the family historian by default.

 

[instymp]

+1 Ejames

 

[pipeinhand]

That is great! I wish I had any of my families pipes, my mom gave them all away when my dad died in 84', she didn't even think I would want them. Had I lived closer I would have gone and scored them before they hit the yard sale. Enjoy the legacy.

 

[easterntraveler]

I have not been smoking a pipe for a long time and I am still running into beginner issues which makes me a little nervous to smoke out of it. I have to clean it up which I have never done before so I am probably not going to do it anytime soon.
Thanks for the feedback. Great to hear some pass down stories

 

[redbeard]

Awesome story, he would of loved that it would be put to use again I'm sure. I was given a few of my great grandpas pipes too a month or so ago, just some Medicos, but they were his and I'm happy to have them. I cleaned them up and they smoke pretty well!!

 

[gregprince]

My grandfather's pipes were "disposed of" after his death. I would love to have them today. You are one lucky pipe smoker. Congrats.

 

[oldredbeard]

What a wonderful treasure to have, I wish I could say I had any from any of my relative.

 

[voorhees]

I have 2 pipes from relatives, one Willard from my Dad and the other a Dr. grabow from my FIL. Both only smoked a short time in the early 60's. No one else ever smoke a pipe.

 

[colorduke]

Those Smokemasters are a great pipe,I enjoy the couple I have,that pipe looks to be Sparta made.

 

[ejames]

I believe you're right Scott. Grabow bought the rights to the Smokemaster/LL Bean in 1967 and made the the LL Bean pipes up till 1985,the Smokemaster continued for a few more years.

Briarcraft went out of business around 1950.

More info here-- http://drgrabows.myfreeforum.org/ftopic1166-0-asc-20.php