Pipes That Hold a Special Meaning

[danielplainview]

Do you have a pipe(s) that hold a special place or has a great story behind it? Let's see it and tell us about it.
This is my very first pipe. A Dr Grabow SilverDuke. It was given to me by my grandfather when I was 18. I still have it and still smoke it. I was handed down the rest of his collection of 50 plus pipes after his passing years ago.

Here's a picture of my grandfather Don in 1973. One of the smartest people I know. Many great conversations took place with the smell of sweet aromatics in the air.

 

[davet]

What a great keepsake, you're very lucky to have something so special :clap:

 

[jefff]

I was just thinking about how a fine pipe, whether expensive or not, adds a bit of contentment to life.
A feeling of warm satisfaction.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Great stuff. My most beloved pipe is no longer.... It was given to me by a cousin when I entered the same university his dad went to. It was my first pipe- and a Dunhill! I screwed up and lost it along the way. I did buy a similar style a few years ago as a sort of proxy for that. Fond memories.

 

[jefff]

My aunt keeps telling me she will give me one of my grandfathers pipes. So far, she hasn't. It bothers me a little.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Show up at her house with some tobacco, but you "forgot" to bring a pipe.....

 

[mso489]

That is a nobel legacy pipe, and a treasure of a photo of your grandfather with a pipe. I inherited my father's circular ten-pipe rack and tobacco bowl, which he inherited from his father, and I remember it well beside my grandfather's wingback chair in their living room. I have a number of gift pipes -- from my late wife's aunt, from my second wife for special occasions, from a Forum's member, and a prize from the pipesmagazine/smokingpipes,com caption contest, and so on.

 

[tuold]

That's a very nice looking Silver Duke.
I'm fortunate that my dad saved his dad's pipes when he passed away. My dad didn't smoke pipes but he did save them so that when my dad passed I was able to retrieve them.
Grandpa didn't collect pipes. They were merely something to smoke his Prince Albert in. When he wore one out he'd just buy a new one at the local drug store. He did have a Falcon stamped "Made in England". I'm pretty sure it was a gift from my uncle.
Here's one of grandpa's pipes I still smoke. It's just stamped "SM Frank" in cursive. I'm thinking it's from the 60s.

 

[scrooge]

This pipe isn't real personal to me, rather my Mrs. Her father bought this 1 an only pipe during the Korean War. Has been sitting on a shelf all these years. Kaywoodie 06G.

Leaving it as is. There is a funny story along with this posting but you'll have to ask Dave G. to tell it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Chosen by my second daughter when she was four, and smoked by my father the last time I saw him alive, this Savinelli Alligator 904 is a gem in my collection, and the first of many 904s in my collection.

 

[cosmicbobo]

Mother, who is 83, is giving me a hundred year old pipe stand cabinet with two floor length ash trays, when older bro can bring it. Was grandpa's. Has been/will be treasured.

 

[danielplainview]

Great stories behind these pipes everyone. Keep them coming.
@scrooge. I'm glad to hear you're keeping it as is. They're only original once.
Pretty wild coincidence:

I posted a pic of my grandfathers Savinelli on Instagram with a description saying that he bought the pipe while stationed overseas during the Korean War. Not 5 minutes later, I check my messages on PipesMag and Scrooge sent me a pic of the Kaywoodie above saying his wife's father had bought it during the Korean War. 8O

 

[scrooge]

Well Dave at least you won't have to clean this one for me. :lol:

 

[papipeguy]

Of all my pipes only 2 hold a special place for me. My grandfather's 1936 Dunhill Shell that was restored by George Dibos.

And my birth year 1952 Dunhill Tan Shell.

 

[python]

Here's my story:
My Christmas Pipe

 

[fishnbanjo]

With as many pipes as I have you would think this would be a difficult decision but there are only truly a few that would be a candidate for this honor. The pipe I chose only gets used twice a year, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It is a Native American Ceremonial Pipe made by a friend who is Native American and was gifted to me. I use the Lakota Ceremony when I smoke it.
A Typical Pipe Ceremony
The pipe holder stands holding the bowl of the pipe in his left hand, the stem in his right, pointing the stem to the East. He sprinkles a small amount of tobacco on the ground as an offering to Mother Earth and The East. As he loads a small pinch of tobacco into the pipe, he will say something like:
"The East is Red. The East is where the Morning Star rises, the Star of Knowledge. Red is for the Rising Sun which brings us a new day and another chance to learn. We thank the Great Spirit for each day we are allowed to live upon Mother Earth under Father Sky, Tunkashila. We pray for Knowledge, for from Knowledge comes Peace".

The pipe holder faces the South and again gives tobacco to Mother Earth, continues to load the pipe, saying something like:
"The South is Yellow. Yellow is for the color of Spring and the warm south wind, and the yellow hoop. While we load this pipe, we give thanks for our strength, growth, and healing that is brought forth from the south wind. We use this as a time of planting so that the seeds may grow into a new life."

The pipe holder faces the West and again gives tobacco to Mother Earth, continues to load the pipe, saying something like:
"West is Black. West is where the Sun sets. West is were the Spirit Helpers live and black stands for the Spirit World. We will all go to the Spirit World and we will all know one another and our deeds. We seek our spiritual wisdom in the West and pray for help from our Spirit Guides".

The same is done for the North:
"White is for the North. The White Giant covers Mother Earth with the white blanket of snow. White Buffalo Calf Woman, Ptecincala Ska Wakan Winan, came to us from the North. We stand here seeking endurance, and health from the North".

The pipe holder now touches the stem to the ground, saying something like:
"Green is the color of Mother Earth. We are all part of Mother Earth, each rock, each four legged, each two legged, all creatures, plants and minerals. We are all related. We respect our Mother Earth and protect her".

The pipe holder now holds pipe above his head with the stem up at an angle, perhaps at the Sun or Moon:
"Father Sky in union with Mother Earth are our true parents. Father Sky gives us energy for our lives and heats our bodies and our lodges. We are thankful for Father Sky".

The pipe holder now holds the stem straight up:
"Great Spirit, Creator of us all, Creator of all things, Creator of the four directions, Mother Earth, and Father Sky, we offer this pipe to you".

Now the pipe is lighted, and passed around the circle sunwise from east to south to west to north, returning to the east, each person free to offer a prayer or saying if they choose.
On completion of its journey around the sacred circle the pipe is capped with sage or bark, and separated, the stem from the pipe, set aside in its pouch until it is smoked again. The typical pipe pouch has separate compartments for the pipe and the stem so that they do not touch when not being used in ritual ceremony.
Here is one photo of the pipe, the bowl is Red Stone that comes from a mountain in a National Park where Native Americans can harvest pieces that have fallen from the mountain and the bowl of this pipe is from one of those pieces. The shaft is Cedar if I remember correctly the feather is from a Falcon and lashed with sinew. The pipe is only put together when it is to be smoked the rest of the time the pipe portion is housed in a bag as is the stem. I first performed the ceremony in honor of his father who was a retired military veteran and had recently passed away so I dedicated it to him and all veterans that had served. When it was given to me I was told I was now an honorary member of his tribe, I then sent him my favorite Castello pipe and told him that he was an honorary member of my tribe.

banjo

 

[ssjones]

Great stories guys!
I have two with significant meaning
This one was meant to honor a joyous occasion, but it turned out to be anything but. My wife bought this one for my 50th birthday. She threw me a surprise party with 70+ people in our backyard that went into the wee hours. I had sent her the link for this pipe, my first Ashton. She gave it to me late that evening. I woke up early the next day and was enjoying the pipe on my patio with coffee and the paper. My cell phone rang, which was odd for 7 AM on a Sunday. It was the brother of one of my colleagues and good friend. He was frantic and told me that his brother had been killed late the previous evening in a car accident. They were on the way to the beach, he let his 16 year old daughter drive and she flipped the vehicle. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt (I always gave him hell for that when we were together) and he was thrown out of the car. Of course the joy evaporated and led to several of the most miserable days in life. I couldn't smoke the pipe for a couple of months and still do so only sparingly. Since then I've watched his wife struggle on to run their business and raise two girls. When I do, I always think about my friend. The anniversary of his passing is coming up in a few weeks, I'll get it out then and remember the good person that he was.
This was one of those wonky-drilled Taylor's but that was remedied with careful work with a needle file and now it is a great smoker.

I bought this Sasieni Ashton Ashford Natural a few years ago, unsmoked. I said it would remain unsmoked until the birth of a grandchild. Our first grandchild was born in December and she's the light of my life (in fact, where her in New Orleans this week with her). I smoked it when we came back from the hospital on the day she was born. I told my son-in-law, it goes to him at some point in the future (hopefully a long time off).

 

[JimInks]

I have several. My dad's pipe, which is a late 1950s smooth with etched grooves straight Willard long stem adjustomatic Canadian with a black vulcanite stem.
My first pipe, a 1974 smooth Dr. Grabow Omega.
My best friend Donald was trying to get off of cigarettes and I got him onto pipe smoking. He bought a lot of pipes, most of them expensive and very beautiful, and I was happy for him every time he got one. One day, Donald bought a straight sandblasted pre-transition Barling Exel 249 Fossil T.V.F. black billiard with a silver band and a black ebonite military bit. I said, "You know, this is the first pipe you bought that I have a little envy for." Donald said, "Well, if anything ever happens to me, you'll own it." He died a few years later of pancreatic cancer, and I inherited all of his pipes. I always think of him when I smoke them, but I always remember that conversation when I smoke the Barling.
For thirty years, I had coveted a Charatan pipe from William Conrad's collection. I gave up hoping I'd ever own one. In January of this year, Sablebrush, who had two of them, gifted me the best one, which is a smooth straight early ‘60s Lane era Charatan Executive Extra Large stretch apple with diagonal channel cuts on the lower right and left of the bowl along with a black vulcanite double comfort stem.. It was a dream come true for me. Now, when I smoke the pipe, I think of Conrad AND Sablebrush. The pipe is extra special because Jesse, my dear friend, gave it to me.

 

[georged]

My grandfather's 1936 Dunhill Shell that was restored by George Dibos.

And that, board, is the main reason I do what I do. :D
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[phantomwolf]

Great stories. I was jealous as I don't really have anything that is meaningful in my collection. No smoking relatives or friends etc, that is except for my little brother who started smoking pipe recently. Then I thought about the pipes I've gifted him as well as a monogrammed tobacco wallet and it dawned on me that I may be his story some day and that's a pretty cool thought.