Looking for Info & Pipes for Movie about Oppenheimer

[Peter - RP]

Title edited for caps and brevity.-jpm

Original: Need Help for New Christopher Nolan Movie, Oppenheimer. Looking For Info & Pipes

Mods, I hope this is ok in the main forum. It will be cool for the pipe community seeing as Oppenheimer always had his pipe.

I am working with the props master regarding his pipes and related.

First, anyone know what tobacco he smoked?
2. Looking at photos, anyone able to identify brand or better?
3. We need 3 identical pieces a bent billiard, likely Dr. Grabow, Mastercraft, Kaywoodie etc. Saddle Stem Billiard and one more I’m looking at. Smooth preferred as I can then make them match easily with stain.

If you have 3 pipes of the same that may fit this, contact me if you’re interested in being a part of this.

on a time constraint here though.
Thanks for reading either way! - Peter (can’t leave email since it’s to my shop so a PM please if you don’t have it)

 

[edger]

I can't help, but this is intriguing and will make for an interesting thread!
Are you the Art Director or Prop Master?

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I'm pretty sure this topic's come up, relatively recently.

If you search the archives for famous and/or notable pipesmokers Oppenheimer and Einstein both definitely came up, I remember people naming the blend Einsetin smoked as well as it's modern day evolution as well as a review of the pipes on his desk when he passed. Unfortunately beyond the vague image of Oppenheimer with a classic brilliard shaped pipe, I don't remember more from that discussion.

 

[Streeper541]

If you need several is several sets of pipes and are looking for particular shapes that Dr. Grabow looks to be able to supply, why not just reaching out to them directly to see if they would be willing to donate the props to your movie?

Dr Grabow Smoking Pipes Made from Mediterranean Briar

Dr. Grabow smoking pipes are made from Mediterranean briar by international pipe company, International Pipes and Accessories. Full bent pipes are by Dr. Grabow (Doctor Grabow) like the Dr. Grabow lark and Duke pipe.

www.drgrabow.net

 

[tzinc]

I watched the BBC Oppenheimer TV show from the 1980s this could be an amazing movie.

 

[Waning Embers]

Had to look him up but I only found more photos of him smoking cigarettes than pipes.

 

[mikethompson]

This will be an interesting one to watch.

If you can find a blurred out of focus picture of him with a pipe, I'm sure there are guys who could ID it.

 

[sablebrush52]

There are a lot of pictures of Oppenheimer smoking pipes. Judging from them he preferred straight billiards with tapered stems, at least 6" in length. He preferred more slender billiard shapes, rather than chubbies. I'd estimate group 4 or 5 sized. He also smoked Canadians, the occasional 1/4 bent billiard, and the occasional billiard with a saddle stem, none of them short.
None of the images are clear enough to determine the make.
You might contact the Oak Ridge history Museum in Tennessee, which has a museum devoted to the Manhattan Project to see if there's any information that might be of help to you, or if they can lead you to other sources.

 

[woodsroad]

Yes, dining at the Y with lots of different women can set you up for throat cancer.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Unless this film needs absolute accuracy, I'd not bother with what blend he smoked. Just put some ready rubbed in a leather pouch and you're good to go.

Brand of pipe could be seen that way, too, but it'd be nice to get an exact replica.

Good luck!

 

[Peter - RP]

I can't help, but this is intriguing and will make for an interesting thread!
Are you the Art Director or Prop Master?

I restore pipes and just a little shop. They came to me. I have provided pipes for some movies in the past. I’m working with the prop master on this.

 

[Peter - RP]

Unless this film needs absolute accuracy, I'd not bother with what blend he smoked. Just put some ready rubbed in a leather pouch and you're good to go.

Brand of pipe could be seen that way, too, but it'd be nice to get an exact replica.

Good luck

Hardest part is finding 3 different shapes with 3 identical pipes, 9 pipes total in a short timeframe. Other stuff Im not worried about at the moment.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Ah, clearer to me now. So, the director is afraid of breaking a pipe during shooting? Or needs duplicates to give to stand ins? Or maybe a real pipe smoker who can keep all the pipes going, able to hand one off when the scene calls for heavy puffing?

 

[sablebrush52]

Hardest part is finding 3 different shapes with 3 identical pipes, 9 pipes total in a short timeframe. Other stuff Im not worried about at the moment.

I'm assuming that this film has a budget north of 2¢ and that the creatives in charge have a collective IQ of greater than 10. Why not simply buy new? As long as the lines are classic the audience isn't going to notice diddly squat. Pick out three models and order three of each.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Only reason to not do that is the pipes need to be a bit on the fusty side, I am betting. Maybe a lot.

They may have a problem finding folks to break in new pipes.

 

[sablebrush52]

John,
It’s no great trick for a prop department to age a pipe. But it’s clear from the photos that Oppenheimer took care of his pipes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Points well taken! Thanks. I've only wanted to be in a film once or twice, and seek out shoots when I can to observe. Always interesting to me.

 

[kcghost]

The PBS series on Oppenheimer was fantastic. It focused more on the science than his private live. Absolutely fascinating. They did cover his relationship with some woman who was probably a communist but they didn't dwell on it.

 

[Streeper541]

I'm assuming that this film has a budget north of 2¢ and that the creatives in charge have a collective IQ of greater than 10. Why not simply buy new? As long as the lines are classic the audience isn't going to notice diddly squat. Pick out three models and order three of each.

Like I said... why not just call Dr. Grabow or Smoking Pipes and ask for three sets of three. I'm sure they'd be willing to accommodate for a reduced fee and a nod in the credits.

Seems like the easiest way to accomplish the goal to me. Just my .02

 

[jguss]

I don't think there's much mystery about the pipe manufacturer Oppenheimer favored.