Hilson Pipe

[maxpeters]

I don't see a lot of discussion or interest in Hilson pipes on the forum, so I thought I would mention my latest purchase. I have an old one that I picked up at some pipe show for a few dollars quite a while back. It has several fills on the bowl, but has always smoked well, so while passing time on the internet recently, I saw that Hilson pipes are still around. After looking over some, I ordered this pipe. I spoke with their customer service guy first, just to make sure it was fill free. He pulled the pipe and said that he could not see any fills on the bowl. So it should be here in a few days.

The top is block meerschaum and it's about 5 1/2" long. Should be a very good smoke. The photo is from their site since I don't have the pipe yet.
Hilson Virgin Delux Champagne

 

[jah76]

I'm actually a big Hilson fan. I've picked up some very good estates for a little bit of coin. While I've never bought them brand new, I do own a few of their non-Belgium stamped pipes and those smoke just as good as their older cousins. A trait mine seem to have is they smoke very dry.
Yours is a looker, I've never pulled the trigger on a newer one, but I've bought about 7-8 and keep 5 of them on my rack and smoke them often. Sometimes their shaping is a bit "wha?" for me but they make some very nice factory pipes in my opinion. The one's I've encountered are on par with Stanwell and Savinelli.
Now all you buggers quit driving up their prices, like you've done with Bari's.

 

[ssjones]

That is a handsome pipe! The size sounds about right too. Most of the time those Calabash style pipes are just too big.

 

[newbroom]

Anybody would love to smoke that baby. Looking goood!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Nice meer!
I've got four of the Belgium made Hilsons. I love them. Two are tall chimneys with about a 3" depth. I never pack all the way to the top, but they still give me several hours of smoking pleasure. My absolute all time favorite pipe is a lanky long stacked dublin that I smoke at my workbench.

I love that they have a unique look to them and smoke very well for a clencher.

 

[cortezattic]

I bought this Dublin from P&C for $95. I haven't smoked it yet, but it looks very nice. Still on sale, and the advertising hype is below.

Made in Holland by the Royal Dutch factory, the Hilson name was bought out in the 1980s, and shortly after made obsolete as Hilson pipes were unfiltered and therefore not suited for the European market.
A smart man in TX discovered this trove and saw an opportunity to revieve [sic] (in a Limited Edition) a lost name. The classically shaped bowls were turned in the 1960s and 1970's, which means the briar has had decades to cure. Today, the best quality bowls were finished in a light walnut color and stamped Hilson Vintage with the H logo on the mouthpiece.