Is There A Decade That Most of Your Pipes are From?

[brunot]

I like Italian makers the best when it comes to new pipes. Most of my collection is English brands from mid 20th century to 70s.

 

[peregrinus]

What do people beleive either way generally?

I wrote “many” and felt that safe to write as it is a fool’s errand to postulate what the majority believe at any given moment.
With pipes, I prefer the mid-twentieth century English aesthetics but I don’t believe they are nessaceraly better engineered than current Castello for instance.

well drilled, (or they might not have survived)

Most did not survive. There were millions of pipes made, and millions were tossed. Arguably, British mass produced factory pipes were of a better overall quality in the last century than today, I believe this myself, but they do not necessarily surpass what can be acquired in artisan pipes or small production operations made currently.

As far as the origin of the briar used and other esoterica, while i believe it has an influence, I place less stock in these arguments than I once did.

What matters more in a good smoke: the briar or the smoker’s technique?
My personal opinion is that technique matters more, much more. Technique trumps the briar, meerschaum, clay or cobb component.
If this seems heretical, remember it’s just my personal views and experience.