Show Your Ken Barnes Pipes

[craig61a]

When Ken Barnes jumped back into the pipe world a few years ago there was some fanfare on the pipe boards.

As is usual for a small maker, there isn’t a lot of information on how many where made of this or that grade, different styles etc.

The initial run was exceedingly short by most manufacturers standards. Several dozen pipes were made by my estimation. There was some discussion about follow on pipes being made, but whether that ever came to fruition is nebulous.

With the untimely passing of Ken I thought it would be advantageous to document his work.

My one and only Ken Barnes pipe is a Bent Dublin. I would have purchased more given the opportunity.

It’s marked K, Ken’s highest grade. Made in England, 21. So I can assume he made at least 21 pipes.

The black stem was kind of boring to me, so I had local pipe maker Rich Lewis hand cut a stem from NYT orange 8 swirl for it, which closely matches the stain used on the stummel.

Let’s see your Ken Barnes pipes!

 

[davidintexas]

Wish I had one to show. I always enjoyed his contributions on this website. His pipes are gorgeous. IF in the future anybody ever thinks about selling one let me know. That is a beautiful pipe!

 

[jguss]

Beautiful pipe! Wasn’t that off of Per Bilhall’s site?

 

[sablebrush52]

It was fun to witness Ken's return to pipemaking, which became possible when he secured his table saw from Moti's widow, and I remember how excited Ken was about it. We had really interesting correspondence about what his vision was and some back and forth about stem materials, stains, etc

By late 2018 Ken felt that he was ready to reenter the market and he sent me two pipes to bring to the WCPS that year. I also wrote a post at several forums announcing Ken's return to pipe making. Rick Newcombe brought three, and he placed them at his table, along with my two. We each kept one and sold the others. These are the pipes Ken picked out for me:
The first one I sold and will always regret it, but I felt recording sales was more important.

The second I kept, and it is also a K grade:

 

[john19]

It was fun to witness Ken's return to pipemaking, which became possible when he secured his table saw from Moti's widow, and I remember how excited Ken was about it. We had really interesting correspondence about what his vision was and some back and forth about stem materials, stains, etc

By late 2018 Ken felt that he was ready to reenter the market and he sent me two pipes to bring to the WCPS that year. I also wrote a post at several forums announcing Ken's return to pipe making. Rick Newcombe brought three, and he placed them at his table, along with my two. We each kept one and sold the others. These are the pipes Ken picked out for me:
The first one I sold and will always regret it, but I felt recording sales was more important.

The second I kept, and it is also a K grade:

I like the second better!

 

[craig61a]

These are the pipes Ken picked out for me:
The first one I sold and will always regret it,

That’s a real stunner for sure. I would have kept that one, but that’s just me.
[/QUOTE]

 

[craig61a]

Beautiful pipe! Wasn’t that off of Per Bilhall’s site?

Scandpipes - and I believe Per runs that site…

 

[tfdickson]

I was able to buy three in the short time they were available. I was over the moon when I learned that Ken was back, my first good pipe was an Upshall and they have always been a part of my collection since. Ken’s pipes are world class in every respect, not just the spectacular grain but also the hand cut stems, the shaping, the internals, all of it. He was also wonderful to correspond with, a true gentleman who couldn’t be more excited and enthusiastic about his work. RIP Ken.

Mine are pipe #13 (J grade dublin), #14 (J grade billiard), and #35 (K grade lovat).

 

[sablebrush52]

That’s a real stunner for sure. I would have kept that one, but that’s just me.

Trust me, I wanted to keep both pipes, but I also wanted to help Ken out, and there was some resistance when he first returned to carving. So it became my mission to record some sales to prove that Ken's pipes would sell. I always hoped to replace that pipe and told Ken I'd like to commission a replacement. Ken said he was waiting for something special to make another pipe for me, and, well, you know the rest.

 

[craig61a]

Mine are pipe #13 (J grade dublin), #14 (J grade billiard), and #35 (K grade lovat).

Well, then I guess the number of pipes made would be no less than 35...

 

[sablebrush52]

Well, then I guess the number of pipes made would be no less than 35...

Likely much more than that. Ken was busy with commissions all thru 2019 and well into 2020.

 

[tfdickson]

Well, then I guess the number of pipes made would be no less than 35...

@sablebrush52

I bought the lovat (#35) in November of 2020. It was part of a group of pipes that were going to be sent to Scandpipes, Ken was nice enough to allow me to pick one out before he shipped them off. There were at least a dozen others in that group, none of which I ever saw for sale at Scandpipes. I have no idea what happened to them. I think it is almost certain that the total production of Ken Barnes pipes is 50 or less.

 

[kcghost]

One thing that Ken knew was that good grain will sell.

 

[sablebrush52]

One thing that Ken knew was that good grain will sell.

And he knew better than anyone else how to find it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I was able to buy three in the short time they were available. I was over the moon when I learned that Ken was back, my first good pipe was an Upshall and they have always been a part of my collection since. Ken’s pipes are world class in every respect, not just the spectacular grain but also the hand cut stems, the shaping, the internals, all of it. He was also wonderful to correspond with, a true gentleman who couldn’t be more excited and enthusiastic about his work. RIP Ken.

Mine are pipe #13 (J grade dublin), #14 (J grade billiard), and #35 (K grade lovat).

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Super photos!
I was lucky enough to catch two of Ken's pipes, and will post when I can get to the other computer.
Where do you live?

 

[tfdickson]

Super photos!
I was lucky enough to catch two of Ken's pipes, and will post when I can get to the other computer.
Where do you live?

East End of Long Island.

 

[LotusEater]

This thread is awesome- You all have very spectacular pieces. Thanks for posting.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Apple sitter:


Photo credit: Kennedy Barnes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Canted billiard:


Photo credit: Kennedy Barnes

 

[rist]

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.