Afternoon folks.
I had another one of those fantastic pipe moments last week; one of those convergences that happen when least expected that leaves life richer.
As is my wont, I search online want-ads like Craiglist and, our Canadian iteration (Kijiji), for pipes and tobacciana with regularity. By which I mean, daily. Last week I saw a listing for two Blatter pipes which were interesting, so I sent the vendor an email expressing interest and asking for more information. I received a terse email reply asking if I would be interested in seeing more, as the gentleman (named Howard), was trying to sell off a large portion of his collection. I, of course, suggested that I might have time :rofl: to take a look at the other pipes he had for sale.
Later that evening I received an email with a zip file attached with 138 pipes and prices laid out inside. 8O
That zip file was a cornucopia of heirloom and vintage burners. I replied as quickly as I could, but apparently he was working with other buyers, because pipes I asked about were suddenly unavailable. :puffpipe:
At the end of two days of backing and forthing I had agreed to purchase two vintage "miniature pipes", a BBB Opera Pipe, a BBB bent Bulldog, a cased set of four briar pipes with sterling shank rings, a Comoy's second billiard, and a Blatter military mount billiard.
I bought them all sight unseen (yes I can hear the chorus of jeers and groans as you all read this), with only one photo for each buying decision.... and I didn't dicker on price. Howard told me what he wanted, and I elected to buy or not. In instances like this I consider haggling bad form, and to be fucking with karma in ways I'm not comfortable.
Last Thursday I met Howard.
Howard is in his late sixties, and is a bear of a man. He's 6'4" but walks with a stoop and a limp, as he's suffering from some sort of debilitating spinal issue. Howard speaks with the confidence brought on by almost fifty years in sales, and in direct marketing himself as a photographer. He and his wife have downsized after being left in an empty nest. Howard's daughter has no interest in his pipes, and Howard's son passed away last year, leaving Howard determined to move on 75% of his pipes to people who will use them and care for them, and provide him with a little ready cash. Howard knows how much his pipes are worth, but was pricing them to move.
Howard is gentle, confident, a little guarded on initial meeting, but then open and honest once commonality has been established. Howard enjoyed sharing stories with me about smoking with the Blatters at their shop(s) in Montreal and his shared love of pipe smoking with his Grandfather. Howard has only ever smoked the blend developed by his grandfather and produced exclusively for him by Barclay Rex in NYC.
It was truly a joy to meet and get to know Howard... and my pipe collection is significantly happier.
Here are the pics of the pipes I acquired.
1960s BBB Bent Bulldog
1960s Blatter Push Stem Billiard
1980s Cadogan Era Cambridge Canadian
1900(ish) CPF Bone/Wood Tenon Bent Billiard (Miniature Pipe)
1900(ish) Cased A1 Bakelite Bone Tenon Bent Billiard w Gold Accent Ring (Miniature Pipe)
1909 Cased BBB Dublin - The diamond in this little collection. It is in wonderful condition and will clean up beautifully.
Mystery Pipes - Cased Set of 4 Briar Pipes marked "A1" "Selected Briar"
The origin of these pipes is going to be fun to discover. I've been in touch with Peterson, and with Mark Irwin and Gary Malmberg, all of whom who say that these pipes are not Peterson pipes even though all four pipes have matching K&P bands with Irish, Dublin and 1924 hallmarks on them.
I'm not surprised that this is the case, the accent ring has slipped on the Dublin and isn't fitted well on the straight Billiard. What this leaves me with is four pipes, one with a lovely amber stem, that are stamped on the shank by a manufacturer/factory/shop/brand which I've never heard of.... All that being said, I love these pipes and am intrigued by finding out from whence they came.
Thanks for looking.
If anyone has any thoughts on A1 pipes, I'd love to hear them.
-- Pat
I had another one of those fantastic pipe moments last week; one of those convergences that happen when least expected that leaves life richer.
As is my wont, I search online want-ads like Craiglist and, our Canadian iteration (Kijiji), for pipes and tobacciana with regularity. By which I mean, daily. Last week I saw a listing for two Blatter pipes which were interesting, so I sent the vendor an email expressing interest and asking for more information. I received a terse email reply asking if I would be interested in seeing more, as the gentleman (named Howard), was trying to sell off a large portion of his collection. I, of course, suggested that I might have time :rofl: to take a look at the other pipes he had for sale.
Later that evening I received an email with a zip file attached with 138 pipes and prices laid out inside. 8O
That zip file was a cornucopia of heirloom and vintage burners. I replied as quickly as I could, but apparently he was working with other buyers, because pipes I asked about were suddenly unavailable. :puffpipe:
At the end of two days of backing and forthing I had agreed to purchase two vintage "miniature pipes", a BBB Opera Pipe, a BBB bent Bulldog, a cased set of four briar pipes with sterling shank rings, a Comoy's second billiard, and a Blatter military mount billiard.
I bought them all sight unseen (yes I can hear the chorus of jeers and groans as you all read this), with only one photo for each buying decision.... and I didn't dicker on price. Howard told me what he wanted, and I elected to buy or not. In instances like this I consider haggling bad form, and to be fucking with karma in ways I'm not comfortable.
Last Thursday I met Howard.
Howard is in his late sixties, and is a bear of a man. He's 6'4" but walks with a stoop and a limp, as he's suffering from some sort of debilitating spinal issue. Howard speaks with the confidence brought on by almost fifty years in sales, and in direct marketing himself as a photographer. He and his wife have downsized after being left in an empty nest. Howard's daughter has no interest in his pipes, and Howard's son passed away last year, leaving Howard determined to move on 75% of his pipes to people who will use them and care for them, and provide him with a little ready cash. Howard knows how much his pipes are worth, but was pricing them to move.
Howard is gentle, confident, a little guarded on initial meeting, but then open and honest once commonality has been established. Howard enjoyed sharing stories with me about smoking with the Blatters at their shop(s) in Montreal and his shared love of pipe smoking with his Grandfather. Howard has only ever smoked the blend developed by his grandfather and produced exclusively for him by Barclay Rex in NYC.
It was truly a joy to meet and get to know Howard... and my pipe collection is significantly happier.
Here are the pics of the pipes I acquired.
1960s BBB Bent Bulldog
1960s Blatter Push Stem Billiard
1980s Cadogan Era Cambridge Canadian
1900(ish) CPF Bone/Wood Tenon Bent Billiard (Miniature Pipe)
1900(ish) Cased A1 Bakelite Bone Tenon Bent Billiard w Gold Accent Ring (Miniature Pipe)
1909 Cased BBB Dublin - The diamond in this little collection. It is in wonderful condition and will clean up beautifully.
Mystery Pipes - Cased Set of 4 Briar Pipes marked "A1" "Selected Briar"
The origin of these pipes is going to be fun to discover. I've been in touch with Peterson, and with Mark Irwin and Gary Malmberg, all of whom who say that these pipes are not Peterson pipes even though all four pipes have matching K&P bands with Irish, Dublin and 1924 hallmarks on them.
I'm not surprised that this is the case, the accent ring has slipped on the Dublin and isn't fitted well on the straight Billiard. What this leaves me with is four pipes, one with a lovely amber stem, that are stamped on the shank by a manufacturer/factory/shop/brand which I've never heard of.... All that being said, I love these pipes and am intrigued by finding out from whence they came.
Thanks for looking.
If anyone has any thoughts on A1 pipes, I'd love to hear them.
-- Pat
