The Prettiest Pipe I Own

[Briar Lee]

Today a smoked maybe half a bowl “Big Boy” Marxman Straight Grain Bent Chubby Rhodesian arrived in the mail.

This is by far the prettiest pipe I own

In fact it’s the prettiest pipe I’ve ever seen in person.

I won’t know how to act around such luxury.

Who knew Robert Marx could make such a thing of perfect beauty?

 

[gamzultovah]

Fits you perfectly. Enjoy.

 

[OzPiper]

Lovely straight grain.
I do like those chubby shanked pipes - very like an old Peterson 999

How does it smoke ?

 

[telescopes]

Congratulations on a beautiful pipe.

 

[Tate]

Beautiful pipe! Enjoy!

 

[David D. Davidson]

Gorgeous! I love how bold the contrast is!

 

[ThermionicScott]

That does look pretty; Mr Marx must have felt contrary that day.

 

[AroEnglish]

Yes, that’s a stunner in any collection. Enjoy!

 

[cynyr]

Just lovely. I hope it's a fine smoker!

 

[Bbailey324]

Really nice looking pipe.

 

[didimauw]

Looks great on ya! And stunning grain on that one!

 

[Briar Lee]

Carl Weber, in his book about pipe smoking discussed that a perfect straight grain was the rarest of pipes, and sixty some years ago cost a hundred dollars, then.

It’s a massive chunk of briar, but light as a feather to clench. Like all “Big Boy” Marxman pipes I own, this one weighs at least 70 grams. The two pipes I’ve shown below both weigh exactly 70 grams.

The growth rings are so close they are continuous, and can barely be seen and not photographed.

In the Marx factory occasionally a extra large plateaux block of briar came along with outstanding grain, and they made a $15 “Big Boy” the best way the grain could be carved.



My straight grain is stamped STRAIGHT GRAIN so there are more of these out there.

This is an incredibly fine smoker, as mellow as a cigarette, not a whiff of brair taste in a brand new bowl after a half inch.

Somebody had sat this around like a postage stamp admiring the thing for at least seventy years, and didn’t enjoy smoking it.

I’ll fix that, in a hurry.

 

[dublinpiper90]

Nice pipe, love the grain in that pipe

 

[Briar Lee]

This is the same Algerian briar Marx used in his gimmie AAA promotion pipes except on rare occasions there was a piece that could be carved into a perfect straight grain Big Boy.

It needed no break in. It got slightly warmer than room temperature. Three smokes formed a perfect film of resin.

And I swear, a Marxman pipe colors while you watch it.



Before long it will color to the same shade as my AAA “gimmie” pipe.



Before the French faced the consequences of all the wicked things they’d done in Algeria, the highest grade pipes on earth used only Algerian graded briar.

 

[OzPiper]

Dang !
I missed that it was a Marxman
Where are the worm tracks ?
Who knew that Mr Marx had it in him to make a thing of beauty

 

[Briar Lee]

Dang !
I missed that it was a Marxman
Where are the worm tracks ?
Who knew that Mr Marx had it in him to make a thing of beauty

Not only does it have impossibly perfect, flawless and beautiful, outrageously close grained briar, it’s made to the highest artistic standards.

The pipe is a monster 70 grams, and clenches and balances like a small pipe.

The slot on the bit is a hand carved wide oval.

The joint between shank and stem is beyond perfect.

The briar and stem are polished like a violin. Not glossy, not dull, they look miles deep.

There’s not a ripple or wavy line anywhere.

Did they reserve those for their best customers?

 

[Sigmund]

Look out Lee, you are gonna get addicted to pretty pipes!

 

[tobakenist]

A thing of beauty, enjoy as I know you will.

 

[simong]

Nice looking pipe!
Also, is that a ‘Windsor Knot’ in your tie? Bonus points if it is, Mr Lee. Points deducted however, if it’s one of those ‘clip on’ jobbies.

 

[Sigmund]

Doesnt look like its a clip. I think see a hint of tie going around the rt hand collar (his left).