Show Off Your Lee Pipes Here!
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Just received the third three star stamped Lee in as many weeks, gonna stop the PAD here for a while-three Lees are enough!
This one’s a medium pear saddle stem. Just reclocked screw tenon a hair, lifted a touch of tooth chatter and polished stem up, quick oil exterior soak and rundown.
This one’s the perfect size/shape for me.
This one’s a medium pear saddle stem. Just reclocked screw tenon a hair, lifted a touch of tooth chatter and polished stem up, quick oil exterior soak and rundown.
This one’s the perfect size/shape for me.
I hadn’t seen a saddle-stemmed pear. Looks nice.
I’ve got it’s darker twin en route
If they’re not common, and I like it, then it needs a backup!
The darker of the pear pair is here. I found a glued crack at the rim while polishing it after cleaning it up, and the stem took some filing to open up where a repair was done, so this one will be my out and about workhorse of the two.
All in all I’m happy with them!
All in all I’m happy with them!
It appears to be a middle run stamped star and it is a high condition Two Star.
One of the best ways to determine high condition is the condition of the bit.
Also, a fresh Lee has deep stampings.
A Two Star was half the price ($5) of a Three Star on the first run pipes but two thirds ($10) of a Three Star on the middle run. I think a middle run Two Star is slightly better, than a first run.
I think what happened was on a certain day when Lee was making the best pipes of their existence the order came to abandon gold filling genuine low carat jewelers gold anagram into the stars of the Two and Three Star graded and use fake gold. The five pointed stars were still deeply stamped (not as deep as previously though) and the rest of the pipe was unchanged as to qualify.
The fake gold rubs away quickly. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and black in the middle of a five point is tarnish, not missing fake gold, but that one appears stamped star to me.
One other thing is that one is either a middle run hidden screw stem or a very late push stem. You’ll know soon enough.
One thing unchanged through the three runs is the first Lee and the last Lee were extremely high quality, sweet smoking, excellent pipes.
Gold stars and screw stems were always just garnishment to the best made factory pipes made after World War Two.
That bent three star went to a friend of mine (I’ve found I’m not a fan of bent pipes) and the others I’m keeping are the three star Lovat and pears I got from a guy here
and they’re not going anywhere.
Found this 3rd Gen 1-star pot in my box of uncleaned Lees. Stem was badly oxidized, but I didn’t want to buff out the star imprint, so I just used magic erasers to get it to Matt black. Rim had no lava but was badly charred so I topped it just to the briar, leaving a tiny bit of char on the inner rim.
Unusual for a 1-star, this one is smooth and has decent grain. Not sure I’ve seen a 1-star that wasn’t carved to hide flaws.
Frustratingly enough, I couldn’t get all the grime off the stinger and threads with a toothbrush or bristled cleaners. May need to borrow some steel wool from @Briarlee.
Unusual for a 1-star, this one is smooth and has decent grain. Not sure I’ve seen a 1-star that wasn’t carved to hide flaws.
Frustratingly enough, I couldn’t get all the grime off the stinger and threads with a toothbrush or bristled cleaners. May need to borrow some steel wool from @Briarlee.
Wow... a Holy Grail for Lee collectors.
Lee used at least three systems to joint the stem to stummel.
The top of the line was the hidden, recessed screw stem.
The bottom rung was the ordinary push stem.
That one has a Kaywoodie type front mortise that leaves a silver band visible. It was used on many Briarlees, and a few late stamped star Star grades.
It must have been a bit easier to mate the end of the stem to a flat aluminum disc than to briar.
I’ve tripled up bristle cleaners, threaded them in, then saturated with Everclear and let soak for a couple resaturations with good luck.
For the male tenon end, I tightly wrapped the threads with cleaners and soaked the same.
Good luck, that’s a cool pipe!
I’ve been lucky to find a few 1-stars in decent condition. Now if I could just find a 4-star…
Joined the cult of Briarlee. This 2 star, 2nd era eBay Bullmoose cleaned up spectacularly. Didn't come with a stinger, but I strongly dislike most stingers anyways so that was no loss to me. Stem is no Comoy's, but better that my experience with postwar Kaywoodie and Graybow pipes. Rustication is very well done and avoids the worm tunnel style, which I also dislike.
Smokes well.
I'd be willing to buy another, but I'm shutting down PAD for a while.
Smokes well.
I'd be willing to buy another, but I'm shutting down PAD for a while.
Very nice cleanup. I’ve yet to get a five point that doesn’t have the stars almost worn off (well, I’ve yet to pony up the cash that most are asking I guess).
That’s quite the bend on that stem, I wonder if it came off the bench like that or was “customized” along the way.
I have a nearly identical pipe, so I’m betting on a factory stem bend.
I own three of those “Custombuilt style” Lees, two Three Stars and a Two Star. All were 5 pointed star gold inlaid middle run pipes, and like new.
It’s my belief the 5 pointed stars came with a price increase, to five dollars a star.
I don’t think I have any 7 pointed star Two Stars. All the few I do own are 5 pointers.
A $10 Two Star in 1955 would cost $113 today, and there’s no way something this nice would not be twice that much at least today.
It’s my belief the 5 pointed stars came with a price increase, to five dollars a star.
I don’t think I have any 7 pointed star Two Stars. All the few I do own are 5 pointers.
A $10 Two Star in 1955 would cost $113 today, and there’s no way something this nice would not be twice that much at least today.
This shape seems identical, only this is a Three Star.
$15 in 1955 would be about $167 today, and I doubt $300 would buy this if it were new. Lee made classy goods.
$15 in 1955 would be about $167 today, and I doubt $300 would buy this if it were new. Lee made classy goods.
From time to time, exceptionally grained Lees are to be found. The number of stars doesn't seem to be a factor in quality for these pipes as both of mine that have the exceptional grain as well as what appears to be better quality vulcanite are each three starred. I wouldn't sell any to these two high grained pipes for less than $100 each.
But, I disagree with the premise that if Lees were made today they would sell in the $200 plus range. I imagine most would sell under a hundred. Lees are well made but do not stand out in terms of shape and manufacturing quality. What sets them apart from other pipes at their level is their dense grain and typical ability to pass a pipe cleaner.
But, I disagree with the premise that if Lees were made today they would sell in the $200 plus range. I imagine most would sell under a hundred. Lees are well made but do not stand out in terms of shape and manufacturing quality. What sets them apart from other pipes at their level is their dense grain and typical ability to pass a pipe cleaner.
Nice 3-star (7-pt) bent billiard. Whoever lined this one up at the factory did a great job—birdseye on one side and flame grain on the other.
