I have a Lee that my grandfather smoked. It’s in good shape and restored, but it is an average smoke at best. Not that I don’t enjoy it. Well maybe a bit better than average.
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- Thread starter didimauw
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I’m sitting here trying to think how many of my huge stash of Lee pipes is an extraordinary smoker, and there’s maybe three???
But there are no bad, or even mediocre smokers among the bunch, every one a solid and sound good smoker.
Lee pipes as a rule don’t have drop dead gorgeous grain. Any that do are exceptional. The same can be said about extraordinary smoking qualities.
What a Lee Star Grade represented was these things:
1. Pride of ownership. When it’s a Lee, it’s a goodern, same as a Case pocket knife or a Hamilton pocket watch or a Parker pen or a Packard car of the same year.
2. Outstanding quality control, which results in pride of ownership.
3. A Lee is substantial, it’s well designed, it has tight, cross grained briar, the stinger is removable, and if it has Five Stars it was the best damned pipe in the world when it was made.
There ain’t no bad Lees.
And could you imagine buying this pipe, in any standard shape, for $150 in today’s money?
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Another one I picked up for $10 last year at Richmond. Has a couple nicks, but a nice little pot with Lee’s common 2-star carving.
When we say a Lee typically has good—but not great—grain, this Tomato comes to mind. Well shaped and drilled, it’s a fine smoker. The grain is a bit muddy…looks like swirls of clouds rather than having any distinct pattern. 
The vast majority of my Lees have that kind of tight, close, grain with no distinct pattern, even my one Four Star and one Five Star.
There are so many like that, it had to be an intentional decision to make them that way.
Compare that Lee Tomato to this Gold Coast Apple. At one point the GC line cost $3.50 (the same as a 1-star Lee) when that 3-star cost $10. Any real difference in grain or quality?
I wish jguss would return his investigative report on Pipes by Lee, but so far we know Lee was a middle aged Preston Tucker type entrepreneur who either had corrupt connections with the federal government or he had to stand on the docks of New York City in early 1946 and win an auction for what was likely the only good sized cache of aged Mediterranean briar in the United States,,,,against KB&B?
In our money, the USA spent three trillion dollars on World War Two. Since the USA does not steal, (except from Native Americans, etc.) some wartime agency had interned a huge load of briar from a freighter that likely had sat in harbor since Mussolini joined Hitler after the invasion of France in 1940.
Lee got it. Nobody else had, aged five year old briar.
When he opened the sacks, they were middle grade, mill run pieces intended to be sold to the trade.
That supply didn’t last forever, but for a few months he had a monopoly on the best briar on earth, in 1946.
I read today where Elon Musk is having troubles. Both Tesla and Twitter have lost half their value.
Oh please God, let us know Lee sold out, and quit winner, while the getting was good.
This tale gets more amazing every time you spin it...I wish jguss would return his investigative report on Pipes by Lee, but so far we know Lee was a middle aged Preston Tucker type entrepreneur who either had corrupt connections with the federal government or he had to stand on the docks of New York City in early 1946 and win an auction for what was likely the only good sized cache of aged Mediterranean briar in the United States,,,,against KB&B?
In our money, the USA spent three trillion dollars on World War Two. Since the USA does not steal, (except from Native Americans, etc.) some wartime agency had interned a huge load of briar from a freighter that likely had sat in harbor since Mussolini joined Hitler after the invasion of France in 1940.
Lee got it. Nobody else had, aged five year old briar.
When he opened the sacks, they were middle grade, mill run pieces intended to be sold to the trade.
That supply didn’t last forever, but for a few months he had a monopoly on the best briar on earth, in 1946.
I read today where Elon Musk is having troubles. Both Tesla and Twitter have lost half their value.
Oh please God, let us know Lee sold out, and quit winner, while the getting was good.
There was an early war Kaywoodie advertisement with storm tossed rocks illustrated, that assured their customers that Kaywoodie anticipated the war, and at great expense and risk got the last cargo ship of briar out, and when added to their immense stocks of briar meant the pipe you bought in 1935 is still the same in 1942.
—-
On June 10, 1940, after withholding formal allegiance to either side in the battle between Germany and the Allies, Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy, declares war on France and Great Britain.
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There was a window from September 1939 to June 1940 that Italian freighters could, if they survived German submarines, still deliver briar to New York.
After June 10, 1940 the Royal Navy would have began to gobble them up, and if they made New York they’d have been interned, along with German freighters.
One of those unlucky freighters was the source of Lee’s briar in early 1946.
More was coming, but Lee was there first.
Today I’ve smoked this 5 pointed inlaid Two Star grade medium billiard in my office, and here’s an example of why a Star Grade Lee is the best value in a used pipe today.
As a used pipe, a Lee is not as much as the lowest priced new briar pipes from Grabow, Rossi, or other value brands.
If we’ll maintained the Lee won’t ever be worth less than today’s prices.
And while it’s stretch to believe Lee’s claim they were the finest pipe in the world, there really are none any better, grade for grade.
As a used pipe, a Lee is not as much as the lowest priced new briar pipes from Grabow, Rossi, or other value brands.
If we’ll maintained the Lee won’t ever be worth less than today’s prices.
And while it’s stretch to believe Lee’s claim they were the finest pipe in the world, there really are none any better, grade for grade.
On one of the Lee threads, someone discussed the Gold Coast sub-brand in the context of drug store, knockabout pipes. This would be long after the early days when they were adorned with real gold plated bands and had fairly pretty grain. At the time I thought of this pipe but forgot to post it. It was likely just that—an everyday OTC purchase that became a daily smoker. It was really rough when I got it. Haven’t decided whether I’m going to sand out the rim or leave it as a reminder of someone else who obviously smoked the snot out of it. Scars often make me ponder a pipe’s previous life, so they may stay.
Note there’s no lion shield to the left of “Gold Coast.” Wonder if it’s worn off or if they just quit stamping it.
Internals were cleaner before I started smoking it again, but the stinger was caked nearly black with gunk as I found it.
Note there’s no lion shield to the left of “Gold Coast.” Wonder if it’s worn off or if they just quit stamping it.
Internals were cleaner before I started smoking it again, but the stinger was caked nearly black with gunk as I found it.
Yes it is a medium Bulldog, not a billiard.
My bad.
If it was a Kaywoodie it would be stamped 12B.
Lee Bulldogs can be found, left to right, Medium Bulldog, Medium Squat Bulldog, Large Squat Bulldog.
My, what pretty pipes I have.
I cannot imagine any, that are any better made or finished, at any price.
Here’s one for @telescopes in the interesting category. My second carved head. First pic shows a huge hole at the button when it arrived. I shipped it to Tim West, who expertly crafted an exact match stem…and transferred the 7-pt stars to boot.
If you need repairs:
If you need repairs:
I looked at that pipe for a while but was uncertain if the stars could be transferred. You answered my question. Thx for sharing.
A late run stamped star Three Star Pot, still with hidden screw stem. Brown varnish has been removed with 4/0 steel wool. The next cost saving step was to use a Kaywoodie type mortise, the last was to use a push stem.
Late run stamped star with Kaywoodie type mortise (used first on Briarlee). Heavier brown varnish has been removed using 4/0 steel wool. Stars stamped on shank. The stem used is not quite earlier quality, same as Briarlee. This is a saddle bit Three Star grade small Apple, or rounded Billiard, an extremely common Lee shape.
I’ve never seen a stamped star Four or a Five Star grade, and Two Star stamped stars are rare.
I’ve never seen a stamped star Four or a Five Star grade, and Two Star stamped stars are rare.
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Last run of stamped star Lee Star grade pipes, with push stem, not marked Limited Edition and not marked Authentic Imported Briar, varnished, stamped stars on shinier, lower grade Briarlee vulcanite stem, high grade briar but with fills, still an excellent, sweet smoker from first bowl.
Three Star medium Dublin.
The very last Lee made before they shut off the lights, was still an excellent smoker.
Three Star medium Dublin.
The very last Lee made before they shut off the lights, was still an excellent smoker.