Has the Pot Shape Declined

[mso489]

It seems like the pot shape in tobacco pipes has declined in prevalence and popularity

over the past four or five years. It seems like it used to be everywhere -- second only

to billiards, brandies and apples. Now, you can visit web pages on many brands of pipes

and see not one pot. Is the pot shape in eclipse? What are some good pot shaped pipes

still on offer? I'm not an owner of any pots at this time, but I noticed this when I went

looking just out of curiosity.

 

[captainsousie]

Right now it seems like they're all that I can find as estates. I don't like them too well so I tend to send the ones I get down the line. sorry, haven't been looking at new much so I don't know what's available.

 

[pstlpkr]

MSO I personally love a quarter bent pot shape.

And is probably the only style of pipe that I desire but don't own. :crying:
The scarcity may be attributable to the extravagance of smoking a big bowl of something appropriate to that shape and cost.

I may have to revisit that concept of conspicuous consumption.

My calabashes are huge and seem to burn through tobacco quickly.

Maybe that's why I don't have one.

Just my two cents.
How about weighing in Cajun you like'm big.
:puffpipe:

 

[sallow]

I like my Sebastien Beo pot. I bought it new at the 2012 Chicago show. I also have an Ehrlich I bought as an estate. I like Virginias and English blends in them.

 

[petes03]

I have a Charatan circa 1950's, with a cavernous chamber! It takes forever to smoke a full bowl in it! It has a beautiful ring-grained blast on it and is very well made. They can be found on the estate market frequently, but can be a little pricey. If you can find one for a reasonable price, I'd definitely suggest getting it. I found mine for a song at an antique store, $6! Peterson Al's makes a nice pot shape, the "606", if I remember correctly. I'd like to add one of those to my own collection!

 

[batdemon]

I 3 pots and really like the shape. I am another one the notices them much more as estates rather than new.

 

[lovethebriar]

I have a beautiful pot bowl Savinelli. I love the style and the way it smokes. I too have noticed a decline in this style bowl or maybe it's just I haven't been looking.

 

[fishnbanjo]

I have a few, in fact one of my best smokers is a Dunhill Dead Root DRR C-EE a wonderful pipe.

 

[brdavidson]

I've never been a big fan when looking at pictures of them, I ran across one in an antique store a couple of weeks ago and after seeing it up close and personal I loved how it looked. It's a Trypis pipe that is unusual in it's rustication and is incredibly light and small (another oddity for a Trypis). I can't wait to see how she smokes once it's cleaned up.

 

[tbradsim1]

Pots, especially big ones smoke cube cut flakes really good, you can put it down and come back to it, the Bertram that Trailspike gifted me proves that, Not an eye appealing shape but like most pretty girls can"t cook, the homely pot rocks!

 

[mso489]

Yeah, the pot shape doesn't induce an aesthetic experience like some other shapes, but its useful

sturdiness makes me want to smoke a bowl. I liked the look of the one I owned, but it had a stinger

and didn't deliver the flavor like I wanted. But I'd look at another one, without stinger. Any other

pot shape pipe refections out there? I'll have to look at estate pipes too.

 

[ssjones]

I had not owned a pot until recently, when I acquired and restored a GBD 1353. It has quickly become one of my favorite GBD's. I don't know if it the thick bowl, bent shape, oval shank or just a combination of fit/finish. Perhaps the short, stout bowl is just good at concentrating the attributes of my lat-heavy blends. If all pots smoke like this, sign me up.

 

[mso489]

fishnbanjo, that Dunhill pot is absolutely inspiring. I noticed smokingpipes.com has two good deals on

English estate pots, one for $80 and the other for $40, pretty nice pipes. I have seen a few new ones

on offer, but it seems like you have to do some looking. Like other aspects of pipes, shapes drift in and

out of favor. I think many people enjoying owning a pot, but few aspire to collect them, as they might

do with billiards, Dublins, bulldogs, and Rhodesians, among others.

 

[ejames]

I like pots and have three in my rotation.

 

[loneredtree]

The reading I have been doing indicates the pot is a good pipe for smoking Lat blends. Never had one. I favor English blends so I have been shopping for a pot. I like the 1/4 bent over the straight ones.

 

[fishnbanjo]

mso489,

The Dunhill should have sold for easily 3x more than what they were asking for it so it initially gave me pause enough to ask lots of questions and for further photos thinking the pipe may have been abused but externally cleaned up. No problems concerning the interior of the bowl like spidering or burnout so I nabbed it knowing what the pot should give me for a smoke with what tobacco's as I truly enjoy the ancient Erlich's I own with the twin bore stem which has a bowl that is cross cut showing lots of birdseye and smokes great, one of those yard sale finds that makes you continue to look for pipes. Looking back and coupled with your post on the pot shape I think that the fact it was a pot may have been behind the lower price on this fantastic DRR and I'm not sorry I bought it!

 

[tennsmoker]

I own only one pot. I bought it back in the 1960s at the old Royal Cigar Store in Atlanta. It was a Charatan second. I "found" it the other day, cleaned 'er up and have been smoking it. I swear, it is just as good now as I remember it to be years ago.
I'm looking for another pot right now. They are great smokes, if not so hot in the beauty pageant.

 

[pipestud]

The newer, modified pot shapes are actually in good demand. You see them now with thicker bowls and smaller tobacco chambers. They are being touted as excellent flake pipes. The Castello 55 is off the charts red-hot right now. The older, thinner walled and huge chambered beasts are not in style right now, that's for sure.
Pipestud

 

[checotah]

Early in my smoking days, I had an absolutely wonderful pot. It was about 2.5" diameter but with only about a 1" bore, with bowl walls about 3/4" thick and a beautiful straight grain. Could smoke it like a steam engine and it never got hot. The unique thing about it was its weight: it was lighter than most of my regular pipes, even though it was solid briar. Lost it somewhere during my first divorce.... Didn't pay much attention to the maker, but would sure like to have it back!

 

[group4]

Pipers follow trends, just like all consumers, so the abundance of nosewarmers and pokers have overtaken old fashioned shapes (like pots). I've always found the shape very compatible with my way of smoking. Anyone remember the hysteria over what were aptly named "Donkey Nuts," especially Castello's? Truly an unfortunate shape.