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greysmoke

Can't Leave
Apr 28, 2011
382
1,815
South Coatesville, PA
www.greysmoke.com
From years of Forum browsing, it’s clear that many of us have/had a pipe smoking parent. If you have a pipe from your parental unit, please share it here.

Below is the only pipe I was able to find after my Dad’s passing: a Dr. Grabow Viscount Canadian. It’s quite a good sized piece of briar. I found it in his effects when he passed in January ‘09 and took it home with me — along with his 1942 Conn 10M tenor saxophone.

I remember Dad having another Dr. Grabow bent bulldog. I filled the bowl with candle wax when I was seven. For some reason, I remember that like it was yesterday.

1722043027644.jpeg
 

Joe H

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 22, 2024
175
1,555
Alaska
Thanks for starting this thread; I love the historical aspect of this hobby. Luckily, I have a bunch of my dad’s pipes, racks, lighters and assorted pipe tools. The picture below is most of what I have from dad.
Dad's Pipes.jpg
I know his dad smoked a pipe from his teens until he died at 94. Below is my favorite picture. It’s too bad pipes were just considered smoking tools back then and not of value to future generations. It would be great to have one that was smoked in the late 1800s. I do have a pocket watch and straight razor from my great, great grandfather-in-law, but that’s for a different thread.
Grandpa with pipe.jpg
 
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Pop57

Lurker
May 21, 2024
7
19
Found this pipe amongst my late dad's things. He wasn't a pipe smoker so I can only assume it came from a direct relation. It's stamped Hickok Imported Briar. The rim appears to be ceramic and has a shiny luster. Any clues as to age? Came up with nothing on the interwebs.

Photo doesn't seem to upload
 
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xrundog

Lifer
Oct 23, 2014
1,296
9,206
Ames, IA
Looks like an underslung or campaign style pipe. The white portion is probably a meerschaum insert that might come out. Cork seal may be stuck fast. Don’t know much about Hickok but it’s got a 40s or later vibe to it.
 
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Pop57

Lurker
May 21, 2024
7
19
Looks like an underslung or campaign style pipe. The white portion is probably a meerschaum insert that might come out. Cork seal may be stuck fast. Don’t know much about Hickok but it’s got a 40s or later vibe to it.
Thanks. The white material seemed a bit heavier than what I would expect from meerschaum and not to mention the glossiness but you're probably correct. I'm really surprised I can't find something similar on the net. Using a flashlight, the bowl is only 2/3s as deep as the outside dimension and the hole is dead center. First I've seen like this. I guess it will remain a mystery unless someone else chimes in.
 
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Joe H

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 22, 2024
175
1,555
Alaska
Last edited:
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xrundog

Lifer
Oct 23, 2014
1,296
9,206
Ames, IA
Thanks. The white material seemed a bit heavier than what I would expect from meerschaum and not to mention the glossiness but you're probably correct. I'm really surprised I can't find something similar on the net. Using a flashlight, the bowl is only 2/3s as deep as the outside dimension and the hole is dead center. First I've seen like this. I guess it will remain a mystery unless someone else chimes in.
Right. The moisture collects in the bottom section and the smoke goes around the bowl and gets pulled out the top. Good call on the threads. Try unscrewing the bowl CCW. Might be some nasty crud in the bottom.
 
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Pop57

Lurker
May 21, 2024
7
19
That looks like an interesting pipe! I’m not an expert but this link has some refurbish information on a similar looking pipe:

Mastercraft Pipes – rebornpipes - https://rebornpipes.com/tag/mastercraft-pipes/

The linked pipe had a screw-out bakelite insert, so do be careful as you investigate how to remove the bowl insert.

Edit: @Pop57 , Welcome to this great on-line pipe community - glad to have you here!
Yes...very similar. The bowl on this one had no threads and took a little extra to turn it, but loosened nicely
 
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Joe H

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 22, 2024
175
1,555
Alaska
Congratulations on getting it apart undamaged. A little clean-up and you can give it a try or display it. The "rebornpipe" link has some great links embedded that indicate that style of pipe dates back to the early 1900s so it's possible your late father may have kept the pipe because it belonged to someone he was close to...maybe your grandfather? It's all speculation.

It might be a fun research project to research the brand name; it’s not well-known. I saw a Hickok pipe on ebay that said it was made in Israel, which would date it after 1947 probably. I also saw a thread on this site that said Hickoks were made by Kriswell of Denmark. The pipephil website says the brand was made in Belgium by Hilson. Some of these old pipe brands can never be traced back with surety, but it's fun to try.
 
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Pop57

Lurker
May 21, 2024
7
19
Well looks like it's a one of a kind. Probably worth a million bucks. Seriously, other than recently finding it, I haven't seen it before. He kept it in a baggie in his bureau draw along with some old pocket watches that belonged to my great grandfather who passed before I was born. My other great grandfather I did have the pleasure of knowing, but I never saw him smoke anything. I'll give it a try. I was looking to see if a pipe like this might need to be packed a little lighter considering where the hole is in the bowl
 
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xrundog

Lifer
Oct 23, 2014
1,296
9,206
Ames, IA
I have some old center hole screw bowl pipes and am not a fan. Pack to hard or tamp too hard, it clogs. If you use a spoon to clear the clog you’re liable to just push more tobacco into the hole. So pack it a little lighter and use a light hand with it. You’ll figure it out.
 
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Sobrbiker

Lifer
Jan 7, 2023
4,181
54,765
Casa Grande, AZ
I literally just posted this in another “dad” thread, all his pipes:
1722302265518.jpeg
The Kaywoodies I’ve acquired since he started all this by giving me those pipes all live in a 9 slot Decatur carousel that he always had full of IRC Three Star (blue if I remember correctly, and he can’t remember because he’s got some memory issues).
1722302463794.jpeg
 

Tongue-Fried

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 17, 2024
111
900
NC Foothills
IMG_1179.jpeg

Mine isn’t a parental pipe, it’s my grandpa’s pipe that he gave to me some years ago when he quit smoking. It’s a Cumberland-stemmed Savinelli 316KS Moka. I’ll give it a proper restoration when my new restoration supplies come in… I can’t wait to see that Cumberland stem with a high-gloss shine on it!

He often smoked Wilshire (now Lane 1Q) in it, but I rarely smoke it since I primarily smoke Virginia and this thing boasts an almost 1” diameter chamber. It does smoke VERY well when I do smoke it. All in all though, whether I smoke this pipe often or not, Grandpa got me into the enjoyment of pipe smoking, and I’m very thankful for that.