Ten Minute Tiny Pipes

[Mike N]

A proper Opera pipe should have a small oval bowl so it does not cause an "unsightly" bulge in the breast of your tux. Just because a pipe is unusually small, does not make it an Opera pipe.

Thank you for that explanation. Of the five pipes pictured in my original post, only one had the oval or opera shape.

 

[AroEnglish]

Member @npod has the hugest collection of Castello Operas that I know of.
He may have just about every iteration of that shape ever made

@npod can you show us some of the chambers of your operas?

 

[npod]

I wonder how many of his are oval chambers vs. circular ones.

All Castello Opera 44 pipes have a round chamber since 1984. Prior to that very (very) few were made. But I do have an original Carlo Scotti 1947 Castello Opera with oval bowl and ivory bar. But that is a museum piece. Basically, they all have round bowls with only very few exceptions.

 

[npod]

@npod can you show us some of the chambers of your operas?

If you search Instagram for #opera44 and/or #castelloopera44 you will see many (many) examples of my opera 44 collection.

 

[Searock Fan]

All Castello Opera 44 pipes have a round chamber since 1984. Prior to that very (very) few were made. But I do have an original Carlo Scotti 1947 Castello Opera with oval bowl and ivory bar. But that is a museum piece. Basically, they all have round bowls with only very few exceptions.

I think we would all love to see some good pics of your 1947 Castello Opera pipe. A nice close up of the markings on the bottom would be interesting.

 

[B.Lew]

A Scottie and an Eltang. Two of my smaller chambered pipes. How long do they smoke? I don’t time myself when smoking and if I get distracted I just set the pipe down.

 

[AroEnglish]

All Castello Opera 44 pipes have a round chamber since 1984. Prior to that very (very) few were made. But I do have an original Carlo Scotti 1947 Castello Opera with oval bowl and ivory bar. But that is a museum piece. Basically, they all have round bowls with only very few exceptions.

If you search Instagram for #opera44 and/or #castelloopera44 you will see many (many) examples of my opera 44 collection.

Thanks for the information!

For those that don't have instagram you can view a bunch the pipes without logging in/signing up here: #opera44 Instagram posts (photos and videos) - Picuki.com - https://www.picuki.com/tag/opera44

And view his full profile here: @npod101 Instagram profile with posts and stories - Picuki.com - https://www.picuki.com/profile/npod101

 

[AroEnglish]

I think we would all love to see some good pics of your 1947 Castello Opera pipe. A nice close up of the markings on the bottom would be interesting.

Here are a few I found from his Instagram

 

[AroEnglish]

@npod you might also want to check out @Searock Fan’s 1948 for sale:

FS: 1948 Castello Sea Rock (12/18/23) :: Pipes & Accessories Sell/Trade

Here's the ultimate "10 minute tiny pipe". Castello Searock from 1948 and unsmoked.! Price: $500 PM me for additional details

pipesmagazine.com

I’d love to own it but it’s worth about 5 of the pipes in my own collection

 

[AroEnglish]

Forgot to say there’s also this thread by @npod:

The NPod Castello Opera 44 Collection :: Italian Pipes

It’s been a long and winding road. The Castello Opera 44 collection is finally complete. But NEVER finished! Still some rare pipes to chase. The collection finally meets standards to present at shows. ———————————————- Sea Rock - standard Sea Rock - diamond Sea Rock - Red Sea Rock -...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[npod]

Here are a few I found from his Instagram

WOW! That is super cool how you added these links here. I love it. Thank you so much for doing that.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Here are a few I found from his Instagram

 

[AroEnglish]

WOW! That is super cool how you added these links here. I love it. Thank you so much for doing that.

You’re welcome! I don't have Instagram but want to check out posts here and there and Picuki has been a great tool for that.

 

[Mike N]

Forgot to say there’s also this thread by @npod:

The NPod Castello Opera 44 Collection :: Italian Pipes

It’s been a long and winding road. The Castello Opera 44 collection is finally complete. But NEVER finished! Still some rare pipes to chase. The collection finally meets standards to present at shows. ———————————————- Sea Rock - standard Sea Rock - diamond Sea Rock - Red Sea Rock -...

pipesmagazine.com

Those pipes are incredible. I thought I had seen it all over the past three decades of pipe collecting, but I am pleasantly surprised that is not the case. Wow.

 

[Scriptonic]

Yep, me too. Smoked it once for the novelty, and now it's in a box somewhere in storage.

Just noted that you, Sir, are one of the most senior member, over ten years. Congrats! Glad you are back posting after a hiatus.

Heh, Thanks!

 

[Kent Hartland]

Here are a few pocket pipes I made, each an experiment in making it more convenient to take a pipe on your dinner date and suitable for a lady or a man . The top one was the first I made a couple years ago and the latest one it at lower right.

Covered pipes are really convenient. You can load and go, close to extinguish, then not worry about dumping it out until you get home. Just slip it back in your pocket, maybe for a re-light later.

These are all about 5 inches (12.5CM) long and, while a short pipe cannot smoke as cool as a long-stem, these are not bad. What IS bad is the photography provided by my phone (my digital camera is awaiting parts). The cloth is green (!) and the pipes are brown, not red. This photo resisted my attempts to adjust the colors, so you have to use some imagination.

The pipe at center, left, has a spring-loaded detent (the tiny steel ball visible near the corner) that fits into a dimple in the cover to hold the cover in place when you close it.
The pipe at lower left has a wooden dome on the underside of the cover that you can barely see the edge of here. It snugs down into the bowl to help secure the contents when closed. The pipe at lower right uses a friction-fit concealed pivot pin to keep the cover where you put it. My thinking evolves each time I make one.

If you want a pocket pipe, I suggest you try one with a cover. Then all you need in your pocket is the loaded pipe and a lighter. The smaller bowls still let you load about 75% of a full size pipe load.
Any good pocket pipe should be made stout to help ensure you don't snap the pipe in half when you sit down or if someone sits on your motorcycle jacket.

 

[Sigmund]

This isnt super short smoke but if you put meer chips in the bottom you get a brief smoke. I use it as a tasting pipe and one for those blends you cant replace. When you want a short smoke that doesnt waste precious tobacco you cant easily replace.

This one is a Ryan Quagliata Dublin. A great smoking pipe. Too bad he stopped making pipes.

​

 

[Mike N]

Winter is coming. Smokes might be getting shorter up here lol

Yep. Today Winter arrived here in WV in force.

 

[Mike N]

Here are a few pocket pipes I made, each an experiment in making it more convenient to take a pipe on your dinner date and suitable for a lady or a man . The top one was the first I made a couple years ago and the latest one it at lower right.

Covered pipes are really convenient. You can load and go, close to extinguish, then not worry about dumping it out until you get home. Just slip it back in your pocket, maybe for a re-light later.

These are all about 5 inches (12.5CM) long and, while a short pipe cannot smoke as cool as a long-stem, these are not bad. What IS bad is the photography provided by my phone (my digital camera is awaiting parts). The cloth is green (!) and the pipes are brown, not red. This photo resisted my attempts to adjust the colors, so you have to use some imagination.

The pipe at center, left, has a spring-loaded detent (the tiny steel ball visible near the corner) that fits into a dimple in the cover to hold the cover in place when you close it.
The pipe at lower left has a wooden dome on the underside of the cover that you can barely see the edge of here. It snugs down into the bowl to help secure the contents when closed. The pipe at lower right uses a friction-fit concealed pivot pin to keep the cover where you put it. My thinking evolves each time I make one.

If you want a pocket pipe, I suggest you try one with a cover. Then all you need in your pocket is the loaded pipe and a lighter. The smaller bowls still let you load about 75% of a full size pipe load.
Any good pocket pipe should be made stout to help ensure you don't snap the pipe in half when you sit down or if someone sits on your motorcycle jacket.
View attachment 279526

Maybe it’s the orange color or the design that looks like a vape pipe, but I don’t think I’d bring one of these along on a “dinner date” with my wife. But I appreciate your creativity. Carry on.

 

[Kent Hartland]

Maybe it’s the orange color or the design that looks like a vape pipe, but I don’t think I’d bring one of these along on a “dinner date” with my wife. But I appreciate your creativity. Carry on.

Yeah, I know, they look hideous in that pic. I think it was the CFL lighting since the green washed out completely and red (on the opposite side of the color wheel) became dominant. And yes, the one with the 1/2" bowl could be mistaken for a hash pipe, I suppose.

I appreciate your comment, Sir.