***What Are You Smoking, December 2020?***

[kurtbob]

C&D Oak Alley in a Muhsin meer

 

[samuelgawith01]

HU Directors Cut in a James Upshall FH Old England

 

[JimInks]

Now smoking Wilke No. 111 in a smooth medium bend 1950s Peterson Shamrock Killarney 9BC with a sterling silver band and a black vulcanite p-lip stem. Watching a mostly forgotten screwball comedy Marry That Girl.

 

[bent1]

Prince Albert in a 9mm LorenzoView attachment 54069

To misquote Monty Python "And now for something a bit different".
There was a time when the enormous choices of today in the area of different pipe shapes, what pipes are made of and bowl sizes was limited to just one shape and one material - clay.

The smaller than usual bowl size and thinner than usual shank and stem of the pipe I posted above - compared to most other briars I've seen of that period - makes me thing of a pipe more suited for a woman but compared to early clay pipes it's a big bowl.

In the time of James I (1566-1625) tobacco was brutally expensive. He's the one that initiated probably the first 'tax for health reasons' and raised tobacco tax 40-fold from 2 to 82 pence per pound, making tobacco more expensive than silver with the result that the bowls were really small compared to even fifty years later.

Below are two examples of excavated clays from that period - one without a maker's initials or trademark (not unusual for that period when less than 10% of pipes were stamped with either) - and the other with a maker's mark:-
1) Circa 1600-1610 - a previous owner in the middle of the 19th cent. has thoughtfully had the clay mounted with a horn stem.
2) Circa 1580-1590 - Incuse W.B (William Batchelor 1580-1620 / 1619-1635) on the underside of the heel.
View attachment 54024

Interesting. What types of tobaccos were available In that period?

 

[Rockyrepose]

This arrived a few days ago, my first cutty. I am drying some Curly Block for the inaugural bowl.

 

[bent1]

This arrived a few days ago, my first cutty. I am drying some Curly Block for the inaugural bowl.

View attachment 54140

Quite elegant. Is that a commissioned pipe?

 

[virginialover]

G.L. Pease Blackpoint in a GBD New Standard saddle bit Bulldog.

 

[dcon]

4th Generation 1855 in a Rossi Vittoria #8315 Prince.

 

[Rockyrepose]

Quite elegant. Is that a commissioned pipe?

No, it wasn't commissioned, I've been watching Bruno Nuttens for one of these to drop and I snagged it. It's a piece from his "vintage collection". It's beautiful and I'll wager it's a good smoker too.

 

[jvnshr]

Ending the day with some Scotty's VR Blend by pipesandcigars.com in a Stanwell bent Dublin

 

[B_Rock]

Sutliff Cringle Flake in a Peterson System Standard 312.

 

[cshubhra]

Daughters & Ryan SJ Rimboche in an AKB Meerschaum Lattice Volcano ? All cleaned up and ready to to see the holiday lights at the Peddlers Village

 

[FurCoat]

Enjoying some Ahabs Comfort in a Peterson Derry 69.

 

[brut666]

Yielded, gone with Robert Mcconnell Oriental in a sav 316.
Better ?

 

[J.GANDY]

Old Joe Krantz in a Dr. Grabow Omega, The Champagne of Beers somewhere near-by.

 

[kurtbob]

Some C&D Red Carpet in a Sav 701 Tre

 

[brut666]

Some C&D Red Carpet in a Sav 701 Tre
View attachment 54148

Niiiiiiiccccce

 

[JimInks]

Had a few bites of freshly made chili, and am part way through this bowl of year 2014 HU Directors Cut in a smooth straight Lane era Charatan Executive Extra Large stretch apple with diagonal channel cuts on the lower right and left of the bowl along with a black vulcanite double comfort saddle stem. This pipe was formerly owned by actor William Conrad. Ice water and bergs is my drink.

 

[pipeboy122]

Murray’s 1810 Belfast in a Tracy Mincer Era Custom-Bilt

 

[samuelgawith01]

GL Pease Penny Farthing in a Savinelli 9mm saddle bit Apple.