S. Bang pipes have always intrigued me. Pipe collector and author Rick Newcombe considers them to be one of the finest pipes made and their designs, staining and finish are truly extraordinary. The only problem was the ones that really hit a homerun with me were priced well out of my ballpark so for many years they were only a dream. Lately however I’m picking up fewer pipes but the ones I do buy are increasingly higher-end pieces. Pipes by Rainer Barbi, Poul Ilsted, Alex Florov, Frank Axmacher, and my latest, this gorgeous Ulf Noltensmeier-signed S. Bang B grade bent Dublin. For practical purposes the B grade is the second highest S. Bang grade commonly seen. There is a D grade but these are extremely rare.
This style of bent Dublin is a shape that has always appealed to me and I have several by Ser Jacapo & Viprati but this one is the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen. It was listed on eBay by a pipe seller who tends to be a bit on the pricey side but I can honestly say that this was the finest quality estate piece I have ever purchased. There isn’t a single ding, scratch, dent or other blemish anywhere and the bowl was reamed and buffed to perfection. Best of all there was no aromatic ghosting of the briar which is my biggest complaint with estates. The pipe was as close to mint as one is likely to find.
For the first smoke I filled it with C & D’s Boker Or, a very tasty Virginia, perique & Turkish blend that I really like in the morning with coffee. Even though the blend does burn well I was able to smoke the entire bowl with only two relights. The draw was open with perfect airflow which probably accounts for the length of time the tobacco remained lit. It smoked very cool and bone dry, unlike some higher-grade Danish pipes I’ve owned. A pipe cleaner passes effortlessly to the chamber, which again isn’t always the case with other high-ends I’ve encountered. It’s a goodly-sized pipe at 6.5” long with a bowl height of 2.25” and yet it’s perfectly balanced and a comfortable clencher. It’s an absolutely stellar pipe in every way.
Now for the $64,000 question: Is this the finest pipe I’ve ever smoked? Perhaps, but it’s a very tough call. My Ilsted’s and Barbi’s smoke just as perfectly. Is the smoking quality proportional to its cost? No. This one and the others are only marginally (if at all) better than my Peterson Limited Edition Mark Twain, one of the finest smokers in my collection at less than a quarter the cost. It’s the grain, finish, flawless execution and pride of ownership that offset the cost difference.
This style of bent Dublin is a shape that has always appealed to me and I have several by Ser Jacapo & Viprati but this one is the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen. It was listed on eBay by a pipe seller who tends to be a bit on the pricey side but I can honestly say that this was the finest quality estate piece I have ever purchased. There isn’t a single ding, scratch, dent or other blemish anywhere and the bowl was reamed and buffed to perfection. Best of all there was no aromatic ghosting of the briar which is my biggest complaint with estates. The pipe was as close to mint as one is likely to find.
For the first smoke I filled it with C & D’s Boker Or, a very tasty Virginia, perique & Turkish blend that I really like in the morning with coffee. Even though the blend does burn well I was able to smoke the entire bowl with only two relights. The draw was open with perfect airflow which probably accounts for the length of time the tobacco remained lit. It smoked very cool and bone dry, unlike some higher-grade Danish pipes I’ve owned. A pipe cleaner passes effortlessly to the chamber, which again isn’t always the case with other high-ends I’ve encountered. It’s a goodly-sized pipe at 6.5” long with a bowl height of 2.25” and yet it’s perfectly balanced and a comfortable clencher. It’s an absolutely stellar pipe in every way.
Now for the $64,000 question: Is this the finest pipe I’ve ever smoked? Perhaps, but it’s a very tough call. My Ilsted’s and Barbi’s smoke just as perfectly. Is the smoking quality proportional to its cost? No. This one and the others are only marginally (if at all) better than my Peterson Limited Edition Mark Twain, one of the finest smokers in my collection at less than a quarter the cost. It’s the grain, finish, flawless execution and pride of ownership that offset the cost difference.
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