After coming into a minor windfall I decided to go against my better nature and spend some of it on a 'high grade' pipe. I did much searching for a bent bulldog but never really saw anything that tickled my fancy so settled on this unsmoked James Upshall semi bent Rhodesian which was advertised as "This beautiful Size 6 A Grade Semi Bent Bulldog."
Thing is the seller has a 'reputation' or rather her late husband had a reputation and I needed to know that it was indeed a James Upshall pipe and not a basket job re-stamped!
So I consulted the experts, namely Ken and Al on this forum. If anyone knows an Upshall pipe it is them. Satisfied that it was the real McCoy I made an offer via e-mail against the 'Buy It Now' price...alas no dice. I was told that she could get more money from the pipe at her other outlets which had me wondering why she never went that route in the first place :crazy:
I slept on it a couple of days and decided to go for it. As was pointed out to me, the pipe is an 'A' grade which I believe is their lowest of the graded pipes, likely due to the lack of exciting grain. On receipt of the pipe the grain is actually slightly better than the pictures showed in the ad. Also as Ken pointed out, it was a large pipe (size 6) and would be a hefty bit of briar but not being a clencher that mattered not to me. It is rather weighty mind coming in at 72.82 grams (the stummel alone weighs 60.83 grams).
I know it's a cliché to say a new pipe smokes "like a dream" from the outset but this one really does, especially when loaded with FVF. The draw is just perfect and filled up about 5mm shy of the top of the bowl it will smoke for a good hour and a half...ideal for a relaxing evening's smoke :
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This is my most expensive pipe to date and the only 'high end' pipe I have owned from new and I have a sneaky suspicion another Jame Upshall pipe will be joining this one on the rack.
Many thanks to Ken and Al for their patience and advice regards this purchase, it was much appreciated :clap:
Regards,
JAy.
Thing is the seller has a 'reputation' or rather her late husband had a reputation and I needed to know that it was indeed a James Upshall pipe and not a basket job re-stamped!
So I consulted the experts, namely Ken and Al on this forum. If anyone knows an Upshall pipe it is them. Satisfied that it was the real McCoy I made an offer via e-mail against the 'Buy It Now' price...alas no dice. I was told that she could get more money from the pipe at her other outlets which had me wondering why she never went that route in the first place :crazy:
I slept on it a couple of days and decided to go for it. As was pointed out to me, the pipe is an 'A' grade which I believe is their lowest of the graded pipes, likely due to the lack of exciting grain. On receipt of the pipe the grain is actually slightly better than the pictures showed in the ad. Also as Ken pointed out, it was a large pipe (size 6) and would be a hefty bit of briar but not being a clencher that mattered not to me. It is rather weighty mind coming in at 72.82 grams (the stummel alone weighs 60.83 grams).
I know it's a cliché to say a new pipe smokes "like a dream" from the outset but this one really does, especially when loaded with FVF. The draw is just perfect and filled up about 5mm shy of the top of the bowl it will smoke for a good hour and a half...ideal for a relaxing evening's smoke :
:This is my most expensive pipe to date and the only 'high end' pipe I have owned from new and I have a sneaky suspicion another Jame Upshall pipe will be joining this one on the rack.
Many thanks to Ken and Al for their patience and advice regards this purchase, it was much appreciated :clap:
Regards,
JAy.
