I think it's fair to say that among the manifold pleasures of pipe smoking, one of the joys is the opportunity to own and use these amazing pieces of practical sculpture.
Some guys can afford any pipe at the show, some guys can manage a couple or three basket pipes a year, but I'm guessing that for all of us, on whatever level we can afford it, acquiring a new pipe is a pleasure. (Or an affliction, as in PAD.)
But whatever your pipe buying level -- what's your "white whale," the ne plus ultra, the sine qua non? What is the pipe you reasonably figure you'll never actually own -- because of rarity, or cost, or whatever -- but would most like to acquire? Maybe it's some amazing maker. Maybe it's something historical. Maybe it's that pipe your Uncle Early used to smoke when you wee visiting.
For me there are a couple categories for pipes I'll likely never own, but to which I can aspire:
I would love to own and smoke a pipe with real, meaningful historic provenance -- the pipe Einstein smoked waiting to be called up to accept the Nobel; the pipe Twain puffed while writing a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court; the pipe Monty used to settle his nerves before El Alamein -- that sort of thing.
The (only slightly) more attainable dream pipe would be anything by Poul Ilsted. Given that he makes only a few score pipes a year, is spotted about as often as Big Foot, and sells his pipes for what a decent used car costs -- if assuming he will sell one to you at all -- I might be more likely to get the historical pipe. But my goodness, the man makes beautiful things.
Here is his page on Pipedia.
Some guys can afford any pipe at the show, some guys can manage a couple or three basket pipes a year, but I'm guessing that for all of us, on whatever level we can afford it, acquiring a new pipe is a pleasure. (Or an affliction, as in PAD.)
But whatever your pipe buying level -- what's your "white whale," the ne plus ultra, the sine qua non? What is the pipe you reasonably figure you'll never actually own -- because of rarity, or cost, or whatever -- but would most like to acquire? Maybe it's some amazing maker. Maybe it's something historical. Maybe it's that pipe your Uncle Early used to smoke when you wee visiting.
For me there are a couple categories for pipes I'll likely never own, but to which I can aspire:
I would love to own and smoke a pipe with real, meaningful historic provenance -- the pipe Einstein smoked waiting to be called up to accept the Nobel; the pipe Twain puffed while writing a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court; the pipe Monty used to settle his nerves before El Alamein -- that sort of thing.
The (only slightly) more attainable dream pipe would be anything by Poul Ilsted. Given that he makes only a few score pipes a year, is spotted about as often as Big Foot, and sells his pipes for what a decent used car costs -- if assuming he will sell one to you at all -- I might be more likely to get the historical pipe. But my goodness, the man makes beautiful things.
Here is his page on Pipedia.
