Peterson Gold Supreme --- One of the Best Ever?

[georged]

Another Pete thread linked to a discussion about Supreme sandblasts.

This was mentioned in passing:



Which got me to wondering where a pipe of mine might rank among Supreme specimens historically.

It has ZERO flaws of any kind no matter how slight, the grain on both sides is equal in coverage and straightness, and the symmetry of the grain is spot-on when viewed from the bottom.

Given that equality of coverage and symmetry are not a requirement to be graded Supreme---a stummel only has to be fully covered with attractive tight grain and have no specks/inclusions or otherwise unattractive areas---I'd guess that this 80S probably scores in the top 5 percent of THOSE.

Which makes me muchly morer curiouser about it.

When it was made, for starters.

Any of you Duke Street guys know how to read a gold Irish hallmark?

 

[craig61a]

I believe the 'N' would date the band to 1999.

 

[Zero]

 

[coming to_falling too]

Stunning

 

[Zero]

I do love a good mystery, I believe @craig61a is hot on the trail

 

[craig61a]

The grain on that Supreme is pretty vivid. This 80s is no slouch…

 

[mingc]

Another Pete thread linked to a discussion about Supreme sandblasts.

This was mentioned in passing:

View attachment 214244

Which got me to wondering where a pipe of mine might rank among Supreme specimens historically.

It has ZERO flaws of any kind no matter how slight, the grain on both sides is equal in coverage and straightness, and the symmetry of the grain is spot-on when viewed from the bottom.

Given that equality of coverage and symmetry are not a requirement to be graded Supreme---a stummel only has to be fully covered with attractive tight grain and have no specks/inclusions or otherwise unattractive areas---I'd guess that this 80S probably scores in the top 5 percent of THOSE.

Which makes me muchly morer curiouser about it.

When it was made, for starters.

Any of you Duke Street guys know how to read a gold Irish hallmark?



View attachment 214245
View attachment 214248
View attachment 214249
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View attachment 214252

Dang

 

[paulfg]

yep 1999,I know this page refers to silver marks but the date codes remain the same

https://petersonpipenotes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PPN-Hallmark-Chart.pdf

 

[gervais]

Another Pete thread linked to a discussion about Supreme sandblasts.

This was mentioned in passing:

View attachment 214244

Which got me to wondering where a pipe of mine might rank among Supreme specimens historically.

It has ZERO flaws of any kind no matter how slight, the grain on both sides is equal in coverage and straightness, and the symmetry of the grain is spot-on when viewed from the bottom.

Given that equality of coverage and symmetry are not a requirement to be graded Supreme---a stummel only has to be fully covered with attractive tight grain and have no specks/inclusions or otherwise unattractive areas---I'd guess that this 80S probably scores in the top 5 percent of THOSE.

Which makes me muchly morer curiouser about it.

When it was made, for starters.

Any of you Duke Street guys know how to read a gold Irish hallmark?



View attachment 214245
View attachment 214248
View attachment 214249
View attachment 214251
View attachment 214252

Nicest grain I've ever seen on a pete

 

[ssjones]

Pete Supremes are in a class of their own.
My two, a B5 with gold band and an XL90, both coincidentally from 1998.
Mark Irwin sold me the unsmoked XL90 and has been trying to buy it back for a few years.
I found the unsmoked B5 at Boswells' in PA.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Passable pipe for a Pete .
Kidding, kidding
Why not 18 karat ? Too soft ?
Over here 9 karat ( 37,5 % ) is not considered gold.
That is to say officially not.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Another Pete thread linked to a discussion about Supreme sandblasts.

This was mentioned in passing:

View attachment 214244

Which got me to wondering where a pipe of mine might rank among Supreme specimens historically.

It has ZERO flaws of any kind no matter how slight, the grain on both sides is equal in coverage and straightness, and the symmetry of the grain is spot-on when viewed from the bottom.

Given that equality of coverage and symmetry are not a requirement to be graded Supreme---a stummel only has to be fully covered with attractive tight grain and have no specks/inclusions or otherwise unattractive areas---I'd guess that this 80S probably scores in the top 5 percent of THOSE.

Which makes me muchly morer curiouser about it.

When it was made, for starters.

Any of you Duke Street guys know how to read a gold Irish hallmark?



View attachment 214245
View attachment 214248
View attachment 214249
View attachment 214251
View attachment 214252

Absolutely Fabulous pipe George.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Beautiful pipe!!!

 

[AroEnglish]

Pete Supremes are in a class of their own.
My two, a B5 with gold band and an XL90, both coincidentally from 1998.
Mark Irwin sold me the unsmoked XL90 and has been trying to buy it back for a few years.
I found the unsmoked B5 at Boswells' in PA.

View attachment 214300View attachment 214301

That must've been a moment of delirium that Mark sold you that XL90. I can understand why he’s been trying to buy it back. Is it still unsmoked to this day?

 

[pipesandscotch]

Another Pete thread linked to a discussion about Supreme sandblasts.

This was mentioned in passing:

View attachment 214244

Which got me to wondering where a pipe of mine might rank among Supreme specimens historically.

It has ZERO flaws of any kind no matter how slight, the grain on both sides is equal in coverage and straightness, and the symmetry of the grain is spot-on when viewed from the bottom.

Given that equality of coverage and symmetry are not a requirement to be graded Supreme---a stummel only has to be fully covered with attractive tight grain and have no specks/inclusions or otherwise unattractive areas---I'd guess that this 80S probably scores in the top 5 percent of THOSE.

Which makes me muchly morer curiouser about it.

When it was made, for starters.

Any of you Duke Street guys know how to read a gold Irish hallmark?



View attachment 214245
View attachment 214248
View attachment 214249
View attachment 214251
View attachment 214252

Stunning!

 

[Jbyrd]

yep 1999,I know this page refers to silver marks but the date codes remain the same

https://petersonpipenotes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PPN-Hallmark-Chart.pdf

thanks for that I now know my 80s Irish harp is a 2021

 

[didimauw]

Serious question George. Do you own any "beater" pipes? Or do you always aim for the best of the best?

 

[keith929]

The beauty of those pipes has me verklempt.

 

[Brewfan]

Beautiful pipe!

 

[georged]

Serious question George. Do you own any "beater" pipes? Or do you always aim for the best of the best?

No beaters in the usual sense of the word. There are some pipes I more readily take on road trips and etc. though, but that's because a shorter overall length & military mount are more rugged. (worried about baggage handling, mostly).

As for always aiming for the best of the best, no. Just the best specimens I can find within a decent quality brand. Peterson is a good example. I've never been drawn to prestige BRAND pipes for their own sake. I see way too much laughably bad stuff cross my bench to put stock in ANYTHING but a given specimen examined in hand. Nothing else matters to me. Not the style, not the maker, not the reputation OF the maker.

Speaking of Pete Supremes, here's another that's one of my favorites. Not flashy, just super-tight full-coverage grain, spot-on classic cut, and top level workmanship.