Show Your Ken Barnes Pipes
- Thread starter craig61a
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So, I'm just curious... Is it marked number "1"?Since my kid was born 2 years ago, I haven't had the time to delve into pipe smoking anymore so wasn't on the forum. Today I decided to return and was shocked to find out Ken passed away, God bless his soul. The reason why I came back to the forum, is cause while cleaning up I found his hand written note and some James Upshall Briar promotion material he sent me.
I contacted Ken back in 2018 when I was about to graduate from university. Being a collector of straight English billiards, he was my no.1 choice of maker.
He was so kind and honoured me with the very first Ken Barnes stamped pipe, some pictures shared below. It is a pipe I will forever hold dear to my heart and I cannot express the sadness I felt when reading he passed away as I was hoping to get back in touch with him since I moved to the UK.
Since Ken told me this was his first and only 'special order' pipe , it received no number stamp. It is just stamped Ken Barnes. He told me he did make a few pipes beforehand as practise, but this one was the first one he felt comfortable stamping his name on.
I do wonder which pipe would have had the number 1 stamp.
PS: I just realised I made the previous post with my old account. This one is my active one, just to avoid confusion.
Thanks John. I'm beginning to think tfdickson is right. Let's see if any KB pipes pop up with numbers over 50 stamped on them. Ken wasn't back in the game very long, and I suspect even before he got ill he wasn't very prolific .
I really wanted a Barnes pipe and Ken was nice enough to give me first shot am a few of them that were stunning. Unfortunately his price point was beyond my pain thresh hold and I had to pass. I pleased to see that most of his pipes went to guys on this site as no one else was worthy.
Congrats guys. Maybe when all my kids are out of school I can justify the price point on a Barnes.
Congrats guys. Maybe when all my kids are out of school I can justify the price point on a Barnes.
Just thought I’d bump this back in the foreground.
There have to be a few more members that got their hands on one or more of these. I reckon displaying them here would be a fitting testimonial to the man and pipes, which unfortunately passed too early.
These pipes are in a class of their own.
There have to be a few more members that got their hands on one or more of these. I reckon displaying them here would be a fitting testimonial to the man and pipes, which unfortunately passed too early.
These pipes are in a class of their own.
Ok, well then I guess it sucks to be you… We’re all aware of your penchant for sandblasts. ???
I happened across another thread from late 2018 where Ken mentions making 40 pipes, 8 of which he had reservations about, and put in a box for later consideration.
I would assume he made a few more afterwards. But at least there are 40 out there in the wild.
I would assume he made a few more afterwards. But at least there are 40 out there in the wild.
?
Maybe so but if those presented here represent the body of Ken's work, I'll happily look from afar. Glad he found his audience again before he left us.
Ken’s interest, as he told me, was continuing the great tradition of the British straight grain, and that he did exceedingly well.
If you like that style, you’ll like the pipes he made. And if your interests lie elsewhere you won’t. Simple as that.
If you like that style, you’ll like the pipes he made. And if your interests lie elsewhere you won’t. Simple as that.
