Help with two pipes (estate and new)

[venzenait]

Hey guys! I'm fairly new to pipe smoking, so due to my ignorance of the pipe world, I figured I should ask for some help.
Here's a pipe I bought here in Russia a few years ago. I couldn't find any info about the company that made it. The only store that sold them doesn't have any of them left. Does any of you know anything about this brand (T&G)? Also maybe you can tell me what material it's made out of. Pear-tree? It was pretty cheap - 2000 rubles, which back then was around 40 dollars and now is 30 dollars. My guess was that it's from Poland.

Here's another pipe I also bought a while back in Kotor, Montenegro. The origins are pretty obvious but it's no so clear, what type of tobacco should be smoked with this one. The bowl is wide and shallow, thus tobacco sits pretty loosely in there. I smoked a few tobaccos with it and it's kind of hard to keep it lit, even though the hole is right in the centre. Any recommendations or ideas? Maybe I should use it for flakes or something?

Thanks!

 

[disinformatique]

As you are fairly new to pipe smoking. I would suggest you not to smoke these two but instead get these 3-4 Brands which wont be heavy on your pocket. Alternatively you can always get Estates from SmokingPipes.com or ask any of the pipe makers on our forum to make you a few affordable ones.
For beginners I always suggest these.
1. Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob (Country Gentleman, Diplomat, Mark Twain shapes)

2. Molina, John Brumfit and Savinelli pipes under $100
Tobacco: If you switched from cigars or cigarettes, get a few strong tobaccos or if you have never smoked before get some medium to light blends. Two English Blends, One Virginia Perique Blend, One Burley Blend will do for now. Straight Virginias tend to smoke hot for newbies (still do with me as well).
GLP Westminster, McClelland Frog Morton On The Town, Frog Morton, Orlik Golden Sliced, Old Dark Fired, C&D Billy Budd, C&D Autumn Evening and Sutliff Molto Dolce would be my choice for you to try.
Cheers,

Chris

 

[lightmyfire]

The first pipe seems to be from pear wood as they usually make pipes in this material in Poland, these are cheap but to my opinion, the taste when smoking is not bad but not that great, I'd rather smoke briar.

 

[mso489]

venze', welcome aboard, to you and your wonderful cat, who seems to think he or she is a parrot on your shoulder there. I have three cats, a black and white tuxedo short hair female, petite but fiesty, and two Maine Coon looking (enough to pass as pedigree) out of a drainpipe where they were rescued as young kittens for fear of their drowning at the next heavy rain. I don't know Russian pipes. I'd try the wood pipe -- from the grain and texture I'd guess it is something other than briar -- but it might smoke well. Hard to say. Ceramic pipes are usually not so great as smokers, more for display; they burn very hot and don't have the best smoking qualities otherwise. So, as suggested by an earlier post, you might want one or two more conventional pipes to get started. If you want a price break on a briar pipe, you might look at tobaccopipes.com, one of our sponsors, at their Chapiuis-Comoy pipes, good French pipes in briar for $35 to $50, or around there. Pipesandcigars.com has Stanwells for about $49.99, sometimes less on sale. Either of these would give you a respectable smoking pipe. Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipes are always fine pipes at minimal cost and much loved by Forums members, deservedly so.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I too had a pearwood pipe that I bought (new) when I started 'piping', big big mistake in my opinion. It smoked extremely hot right from the off.
I pulled off the stem for possible future use & binned the bowl!
I now realise that for the same money I could have bought a half decent estate pipe for the same money.
Regards,
Jay.