Pipeworks/Nachwalter Bent Billiard w/Silver Band

[pitchfork]

I was lucky enough to find this on ebay (it's been a good week for "Vermont School" collectors). It wasn't even listed under Pipeworks or Nachwalter, which are the searches I usually keep tabs on. Anyhow, as you can see, it's a good sized bent billiard with a deep, rich orange stain, a silver band and a grey, slightly iridescent, lucite stem.
From the 1980s, NYC, when Elliott Nachwalter and Carole Burns bought and ran the old E. Wilke shop. I absolutely love it. It has just the right amount of bend for me and the hand feel is solid, but light. Very nicely balanced.

 

[pitchfork]

I like the flow of the shape -- rather large, but svelte -- no doubt it's surprising light for its size. It's got good grain, appears to be lightly smoked and in great condition. I'm no fan of Lucite, but that hand cut stem is stunning; the snowflake logo is icing on the cake.

Thanks, Roth. Very succinct. Next time, I do the pictures, you do the write-up. :mrgreen:

 

[sergemoat]

Nice pipe, love the stem almost looks like black/grey cumberland.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Hey pitch, I love that pipe. That's my favourite of all the EN pipes I've seen.

 

[ssjones]

I'm with Peck, that is a beauty and a perfect shape!

 

[docwatson]

Nice design/shaped EW pipe. Hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

 

[pitchfork]

Thanks, guys. Will do, doc.
Except for a straight pot I have, this bent billiard is probably the EN pipe of mine that's closest to one of the classic shapes.
Even the pot, though, is fairly Charatanesque:

 

[dmcmtk]

Very nice,a quick question, is the stem vulcanite or lucite? I think every Pipeworks pipe I have is the former. Most of the lucite stems I've seen are from Coral Springs.
Dave

 

[pitchfork]

Dave, it's Lucite -- pearlescent gray or whatever. I don't usually like lucite, but it works with this pipe -- one of the things I hate about Pipeworks pipes are the cheap vulcanite stems (on most of them). Some Pipeworks and BW pipes have this flat, oval stem that is very nice, almost ebonite-quality -- very soft and less prone to oxidation. But most of the ones I have are run-of-the-mill vulcanite. Have half a mind to replace some of them -- maybe Elliott would do it (and charge an arm and a leg, no doubt!).
Of course, the "Elliott Nachwalter" (post-1990) pipes have some of the nicest stems in my collection.

 

[rebornbriar]

Beautiful pipes. I agree, that pot does have an element of Charatan styling to it. If it had a double comfort stem it would be a dead ringer. Love the lighting and backdrop in your pictures BTW.

 

[pitchfork]

Love the lighting and backdrop in your pictures BTW.

LOL, I use that backdrop out of desperation. Want to know the secret? It's the stainless steel wall guard behind the stove. The light is the overhead lamp from the hood above the range. That's all I got. :lol:

 

[ejames]

I like the flow of the shape -- rather large, but svelte -- no doubt it's surprising light for its size. It's got good grain, appears to be lightly smoked and in great condition. I'm no fan of Lucite, but that hand cut stem is stunning; the snowflake logo is icing on the cake.
Well done [::]

+1 !!

 

[cigrmaster]

pitch, great looking pipe, nice classic lines and some very nice grain. Looks like it was barely smoked, congrats on your latest addition.

 

[fnord]

Wow, Pitch. That hanger is a beauty but the pot is killer.
You have excellent taste.
Fnord

 

[pitchfork]

Thanks, Harris. The pics on the ad were fuzzy, but I decided to take a chance. It couldn't have been smoked more than 5 or 6 times.
Thanks, fnord. That pot was another one where the condition was hard to determine (rim was absolutely coated in tar), but it cleaned up nice. Though it's counterintuitive, one thing I've learned about buying estate pipes is, that if the rim is coated in tar, there's a good chance that the tar protected it from scorching -- and tar will come off with a little alcohol and elbow grease.