Show Us Your Most Quintessential Billiard Pipe

[tobefrank]

It is often said that the billiard is the most widely owned pipe shape.

I don't have one in my collection, but may add a saddle billiard to my collection if the right one came around.

I would love to see what you consider to be your most quintessential billiard pipe.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I never much cared for straight billiards, but quite like bent ones, and own a few of those. That said, I’ve seen some phenomenally made straight billiards by some carvers that were gorgeous.

 

[bullet08]

Have two. But they are both "army" mount.

 

[Infantry23]

Those are beautiful pipes! I really like the army mount!

 

[drrock]

I am fortunate to have a number of billiards but this is one of my favorites - a Stanwell Rondo 03 that smokes beautifully, is perfectly constructed for its price point, and is very well balanced.

It's also the very first pipe I purchased from Smokingpipes.com in December 2003. Since this was my very first purchase from them, they also sent a complementary tin of 2003 McClelland Christmas Cheer! I've been a satisfied repeat customer ever since...

 

[agnosticpipe]

I have quite a few billiards as I really like their traditional shape. This is one of my favorites, an old Castello Trademark. No outstanding grain, but well made and a tremendous smoker.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Far from being my favorite shape but were purchased as they were made by my favorite carver.

 

[philobeddoe]

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Medium/large billiards by Stanwell such as mod 29 and discontinued model 61 and of course many of Dunhill classic billiard shapes

 

[ray47]

Peterson 106 Irish Army Mount

 

[tobefrank]

Have two. But they are both "army" mount.

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Beautiful. The sandblast on the bottom one is superb.

 

[tobefrank]

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I am fortunate to have a number of billiards but this is one of my favorites - a Stanwell Rondo 03 that smokes beautifully, is perfectly constructed for its price point, and is very well balanced.

It's also the very first pipe I purchased from Smokingpipes.com in December 2003. Since this was my very first purchase from them, they also sent a complementary tin of 2003 McClelland Christmas Cheer! I've been a satisfied repeat customer ever since...

That is a beautiful pipe and a great story. I'm assuming the Christmas Cheer was finished long ago?

 

[tobefrank]

I have quite a few billiards as I really like their traditional shape. This is one of my favorites, an old Castello Trademark. No outstanding grain, but well made and a tremendous smoker.

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Wow, I normally find Castello's shaping a bit too 'Italian' for me with a bit too much extra briar, but this one is very elegant. It looks almost Danish to me. A very beautiful pipe.

 

[tobefrank]

Far from being my favorite shape but were purchased as they were made by my favorite carver.

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Bruce Weaver made some beautiful pipes. I have one of his sandblasted lovats with a very similar bowl shape to the bottom one.

 

[rushx9]

 

[tobefrank]

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Very nice, but that leather is a bit too kinky for me. ?

 

[Chasing Embers]

a very similar bowl shape to the bottom one.

The mammoth ivory accent was what got me with that one.

 

[tobefrank]

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Those are beautiful pipes. I'm wondering if some of the bent ones would still be considered billiards?

 

[rushx9]

Those are beautiful pipes. I'm wondering if some of the bent ones would still be considered billiards?

It's a surprisingly loose designation. Many of my Billiards borderline Brandy or Apple shapes, but aren't quite exaggerated enough to be considered that. The second one is the traditional cylindrical "Dutch" Billiard shape, but Oom Pauls and Hungarians are technically in the Billiard family, too.
This represents about half of the Billiards in my collection.

 

[tobefrank]

This is the billiard I would buy if I ever came across one similar to this one. To me the Big Ben 402 straight saddle billiard gets really close to the quintessential billiard.