Rick Newcombe on Danish Pipe Making Legend Jess Chonowitsch - Radio Show Dec 9, 2025

[admin]

On tonight’s Pipes Magazine Radio Show Rick Newcombe reminisces about Danish pipe making legend Jess Chonowitsch. Jess passed away on November 28, 2025. The impact he had on artisan pipe making is immeasurable. Rick is likely one of the first American pipe collectors to meet Jess going back to the year 1995. He has also been one of the biggest promoters of Jess’s work over several decades and has tons of great stories to celebrate the life of this “Great Dane” pipe artisan. Chuck Stanion does a great job of telling Jess Chonowitsch’s story on SmokingPipes.com. At the top of the show in Pipe Parts, Brian will discuss the pipes he acquired this past year.

The show airs every Tuesday at 8:00pm eastern US time, and can be found at PipesMagazine.com and all podcast apps.

Jess Chonowitsch (Photo: SmokingPipes.com)

 

[HammerandPipe]

Very somber episode. The sadness palpable. Even when sharing lighter memories, it sat right there.

This is the second or third episode I’ve heard with Rick, and every time I’m floored by how sharp he is, how vividly he remembers things, how naturally those stories pour out of him. I could listen to him talk for hours and never drift for a second.

These are the kinds of people we need to look after and learn from. They’re the living archives of the hobby holding the stories, the tools, the little details and hard-earned knowledge that don’t show up in books or forums. They keep the whole thing alive.