It Appears Lee Van Cleef's Two Most Famous Pipes Have Been Acquired

[telescopes]

It's hard to believe, but the pipes look authentic. Two threads over on pipesmokersden were started today by a collector who claims to have the pipes and has posted photos. If this is the case, a major piece of pipe smoking history will have been made. I am curious what you all think.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Seems legit.

 

[telescopes]

Who would have thought the pipe wasn't a WDC but rather a Plymouth? Plymouth - I hadn't ever heard of that brand. And the meerschaum. Seeing it up close in clear photos. Suddenly so much became clear.

 

[xrundog]

Seems legit.

He says he has letters and is not trying to sell them. The bit about the bent well pipe being a French Plymouth brand instead of a Wellington is an interesting and unexpected detail.

 

[Waning Embers]

Lots of forgery in the world. I'd take it with a grain of salt unless irrefutable documentation was included.

 

[Waning Embers]

He says he has letters and is not trying to sell them. The bit about the bent well pipe being a French Plymouth brand instead of a Wellington is an interesting and unexpected detail.

Joins a forum and three days later drops a bomb like that? Smells funny.

 

[telescopes]

He says he has letters and is not trying to sell them. The bit about the bent well pipe being a French Plymouth brand instead of a Wellington is an interesting and unexpected detail.

I PM's him directly. He seems legit in that he isn't trying to sell them and more importantly, has been a fan of the LVC for years and has built a relationship with the family. The pipes seem to have been kept by the family. If this plays out and I suspect it will, it will be a relief to many smokers to know that those pipes are safe and secured.

 

[xrundog]

Joins a forum and three days later drops a bomb like that? Smells funny.

Right. That’s why I mentioned he isn’t trying to sell them. There’s a lot of fraud on the internet. But there are things that are real.

 

[Waning Embers]

That’s why I mentioned he isn’t trying to sell them.

Just like the fellow a few months ago that "found" a hoard of unicorn tobacco tins and said he wasn't interested in selling until he was. I've seen meerschaum carvers turn a block into a photo realistic masterpiece. No reason they couldn't replicate another pipe.

 

[xrundog]

Just like the fellow a few months ago that found a hoard of unicorn tobacco tins and said he wasn't interested in selling until he was. I've seen meerschaum carvers turn a block into a photo realistic masterpiece. No reason they couldn't replicate another pipe.

Well I haven’t seen anyone really replicate the mottled Vienna Meerschaums. But you would know more about that than me. I guess we wait and see what happens.

 

[Waning Embers]

Well I haven’t seen anyone really replicate the mottled Vienna Meerschaums. But you would know more about that than me. I guess we wait and see what happens.

They do it with heat. But yes, if he's got undeniable documents absolutely.

 

[warren]

Hollywood prop pipes are without interest to me. Hardly of historical significance. There's an entire thread dedicated to pipes in movies. I know some of the guys like to imagine themselves in a movie role while smoking look=a=likes but, no interest to me.

 

[VDL_Piper]

If the family provenance holds true then these are legit and it's a wonderful thing to know they still exist. If any one has images I'd love to see them posted here.

 

[Sig]

Its not a very rare thing for stuff like this to come up. A few years ago a dude in Georgia who owned a junk yard all of a sudden had like 6-7 General Lee's from The Dukes of Hazzard tv show. Including two hero cars(close up cars they actually drove in the show, not jumpers).
Lots of old tv props end up in hordes, junk shops, and in the closet of sentimental actors.
Lots of items like LVCs pipes probably were not even thought about by the cast. Much of this stuff just gets tossed.
A friend of mine runs a company in LA that rents props, cameras, and lights to movie houses. He has TONS of crap like a 76 Firebird from The Rockford Files, plastic palm trees from Gilligans Island, light sabers from Star Wars(1976-1983)....and lots of other stuff. Most of it was found in sheds and basements at the movie studios and was being tossed out. Some of it is hero props even.

 

[telescopes]

Hollywood prop pipes are without interest to me. Hardly of historical significance. There's an entire thread dedicated to pipes in movies. I know some of the guys like to imagine themselves in a movie role while smoking look=a=likes but, no interest to me.

Except these aren't Hollywood props. These are actual pipes owned by Lee Van Cleef and made famous in the two movies from two of the greatest westerns ever made. The lengthy on going research and debate about what those two pipes exactly were has gone on for decades. To say they are hardly of historical significance ... for history buffs of cinema nothing could be further from the truth. Those two pipes and the way they were used were significant to the character and the way the character was betrayed.

 

[fireground_piper]

That guy sure does have an odd attitude considering the claims he's making. A little confrontational even.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

It’s nice he’s sharing some good info and the pics - no doubt many will enjoy.

 

[Questionable Source]

Sweet.

 

[warren]

made famous in the two movies from two of the greatest westerns ever made

They may be his personal pipes but, they were props for the character in the movie. Therefore, in this case, merely props to assist in shaping the character, credit to Sergio who permitted it in his movie. I suppose movies/Hollywood is important to some but, in my mind it is simply entertainment, make believe, requiring a suspension of belief. Sure, there are movies I enjoy but, only as a break from reality, a diversion as it were, certainly nothing to be given serious thought.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

The pipes that Van Cleef used as props in his movies were his own. He used them cause it made his pipe smoking more authentic and believable. I appreciated his pipes and the effortless way he smoked on screen. Those who possess them should consider themselves fortunate and honored to be their custodian. ️