When Less is More... a.k.a. Minimalism in the PipeWorld

[mbmoehl]

Minimalism is a gravely misunderstood beast. It takes a lot of work, study and craft to get right and is often badly imitated because it appears simple. Minimalism requires perfection and purity of scale, proportion and finish to appear as if nothing can be changed without affecting its form or function and that means evaluating every minute detail. Imitation minimalism is elementary, it sees basic shape and materials, but everthing else is an oversight. The idea of minimalism is falsy used as an excuse to cut corners. There are some similarities between the architecture of Corbu, Mies and the latest iterations of McDonald's and Wendy's, but they are not equal.

What I think the OP is trying to describe is a form of vernacular design, one based on a select set of priorities for that given maker that comes from their own personal experience in their part of the world. I look at that pipe and see the embellishments in the radiused top of the bowl and the slight curve of the stem. The portion of the bowl height to pipe length was prioritized over grain structure. I'm glad the OP has found an appreciation for this piece.

There is a lot of value to be found in the vernacular realm, but minimalism just another artistic style.

 

[Briar Lee]

I love this forum because I learn something new every day.

Sturgeon's law - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I’ve been a dissenter from Sturgeon’s Law all my life, I suppose.

As I get older, the more I appreciate my folks and teachers, who taught me most people and things are good, if you’ll be good to them.

The Right Kind of People​

by Edwin Markham
Gone is the city, gone the day,
Yet still the story and the meaning stay:
Once where a prophet in the palm shade basked
A traveler chanced at noon to rest his miles.
“What sort of people may they be,” he asked,
“In this proud city on the plains o'erspread?”
“Well, friend, what sort of people whence you came?”
“What sort?” the packman scowled; “why, knaves and fools.”
“You'll find the people here the same,” the wise man said.

Another stranger in the dusk drew near,
And pausing, cried “What sort of people here
In your bright city where yon towers arise?”
“Well, friend, what sort of people whence you came?”
“What sort?” the pilgrim smiled,
“Good, true and wise.”
“You'll find the people here the same,”
The wise man said.

—-

 

[autumnfog]

Minimalist vs the ornate.
Well, hardly a three pipe problem to figure out which I prefer.

 

[Chaukisch]

For me it can't get simpler and more minimalist than a simple clay pipe.
Made out of the very earth that we live our lifes on, shaped into a stem with a bowl hanging from it at an angle and baked until clean white.
Simplicity, honesty and purity. No flashes and fanfares, just true performance.

 

[WhiteDevilPress]

For handmade pipes, I’ve always considered the typical Danish Pickaxe Freehand to be the ultimate in functional minimalist design.

Most of them have a universal stem, like a Missouri Meerschaum.

The artisan choses a big plateaux of briar, hopefully well seasoned (but often not) and chases the grain. The chambers are hand cut to size, the pipe is drilled, and it can be sandblasted, rusticated, or left smooth as desired.

They are sort of an acquired taste in appearance, but might be the best smokers available, if you believe bigger briars smoke better.

View attachment 169110

I absolutely agree: my eye is always drawn to pipes of this general profile, and I see nothing excessive in their design whatsoever. That "casting aside any elements that do not contribute to the beauty" thing is highly subjective, because to me this V curve is essential to good design, whereas the "classic" right angle pipes are lacking in imagination and beauty. And while minimalism is an admirable direction to move through life, I don't think it's a concrete goal that's attainable. Unless you're homeless, and even those folks seem to need a shopping cart to maximize storage for their minimalist lifestyle.

 

[LotusEater]

-the irony of materialism is that, inexplicably, it never really results in that feeling of contentment, of satisfaction, of appreciation of the thing.

This brought to mind Barry Schwartz’s concept of the paradox of choice. He wrote a book about it but I’ve attached a link to a very interesting Ted Talk. One of his main points is that the more options we have the less likely it is that we will be happy with the one we chose.

The paradox of choice

Psychologist Barry Schwartz takes aim at a central tenet of western societies: freedom of choice. In Schwartz's estimation, choice has made us not freer but more paralyzed, not happier but more dissatisfied.

www.ted.com

 

[drastic_quench]

Those Eltangs SHOULD BE the height of minimalist pipes, but I was disappointed a few years ago at Iwan Reis when I got to examine a rack of them and found error after error. Over drilling that had gone into the opposite wall of the pipe, off center drilling, and drilling too high in the bowl. Surprisingly crooked stems too.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

This brought to mind Barry Schwartz’s concept of the paradox of choice. He wrote a book about it but I’ve attached a link to a very interesting Ted Talk. One of his main points is that the more options we have the less likely it is that we will be happy with the one we chose.

The paradox of choice

Psychologist Barry Schwartz takes aim at a central tenet of western societies: freedom of choice. In Schwartz's estimation, choice has made us not freer but more paralyzed, not happier but more dissatisfied.

www.ted.com

I just listened to the talk. Thanks! It reminded me of a study done years ago, where it was found if people were given more than two or three choices of televisions, they bought none.

 

[mso489]

I ike pipes plain and fancy. One of my favorite minimalist takes is the MM "hardwood," basic but highly functional.

 

[LotusEater]

I just listened to the talk. Thanks! It reminded me of a study done years ago, where it was found if people were given more than two or three choices of televisions, they bought none.

Yes- too much choice can lead to decision paralysis! This is a topic of great interest to me in my professional life. Decision Science is a fascinating field and an enjoyable rabbit hole to explore.

 

[alaskanpiper]

There is no substitute for simply beautiful wood. No manner of accents and accoutrements can make up for its absence. The older iterations of the Ashton Sovereign series (before all the brindle and silver got involved) are a great reflection of this for me. Here is one from 1990.

 

[cigrmaster]

George, that is some crazy grain, very cool. I am not a Poker guy but can appreciate the simplicity of it. I honestly don't know why I am not a fan of the shape. I bought one once but rarely smoked it. Maybe when I grow up I will like it better.

@sasquatch, I have had my share of commissions done and I give pretty simple instructions.
Group 4-5 bowl size
5-6.5 " long
Bowl height around 2.0"
Inside bowl depth 1.4"-1,65
Inside bowl width .75-7/8 13/16 and .82 are what I mostly have .
Shank 4.0-4.5
Weight 40-60 grams with 50 the sweet spot
Walls need to be thick but not so it adds too much weight.

Then I go into the shape and I say a Billiard or Dublin or what ever basic shape I like. I ask about colors and that is is all. I leave the shaping and most colors to the artisan. If I want black I state it. If the artisan has suggestions for other colors I am always interested.

Now to the real world. I ask the artisan for a shape in a group 4-5 sized pipe weighing in at approximately 40-55 grams give or take a couple of grams on the heavy size, not a fan of less than 40 grams. Unless I want a black pipe I let the artisan suggest colors. I never suggest how the pipe should be shaped as I am total novice when describing shape to anyone as I don't have the language for it.
I almost forgot, I always tell the artisan I want a killer blast, but it has to work with the pipe, no carving a blast. If it is perfectly surrounded by ring grain like a JT Cooke that isn't my thing as I like a natural ring grain blast that has character. Something like this Rad Davis.


Or this Jack Howell.



So far all my commissions have worked out. That Billiard you showed is outstanding, would you take 79.99 plus tax for it?

 

[cigrmaster]

double post

 

[alaskanpiper]

Another simple one.

 

[cigrmaster]

Another simple one.
View attachment 169376

Killer Birdseye. How many days did it take you to paint that Birdseye on the pipe, couldn't have been easy. lol

 

[pauls456]

I'd characterize standard shapes as elegant rather than minimalistic. They reflect the aesthetic of their time. If for example one looks at a classic billiard done right, the angles and proportions are highly exacting throughout. Another example of an elegant but by no means minimalistic shape would be Jess Chonowitsch's bent apple.
In contrast, take the pipes of Ib Berggreen: Many of his modern looking pipes are classic shapes stripped of unnecessary elements in order to arrived at a simplified yet pleasing form.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Killer Birdseye. How many days did it take you to paint that Birdseye on the pipe, couldn't have been easy. lol

Yeah Qipeng is a birdseye master. Either that or an accomplished micro-painter

 

[UB 40]

What are we talking about? Minimalism? Or the poker shape georged showed us? I cannot see any minimalism in that pipe. With that high gloss finish of yellow orange stain, a kind of straight grain, that rounded upper side of the perfect round bowl, a bent saddle stem with 3 white dots and further markings for grading and so on we cannot talk about minimalism here.

So, what could that mean, a minimalistic approach to pipe design? Minimalism in art and music was a movement, a counter approach to overwhelming expressionism. Bauhaus was in respect to architecture and furniture the reaction to Jugendstil, Art Deco and Biedermeier. And a step forward in industrial production of those things.

To be honest, as I begun pipe smoking I was quite aware of stepping into one of the todays most prestigious activities. I want to compare it to HiFi enthusiasm, it’s the same price range up to a bo nordh and there are a lot similarities in the high end myths and beliefs.

But I wanted to smoke pipes and had to find a way (which is not to buy any new pipe anymore, used pipes for the fraction of its original price and last not least the attempt to make my own, yes they are smoking well).

So what is minimal approach to pipe design? Back to the roots, like @Chaukisch said, the clay pipe? Bowls made of stones. Or maybe this example I found on eBay dated to the beginning of the last century



Just two holes in a meerschaum block, with a wood stem? Is me minimalism maybe a strict form follows function in keeping the carving process out of wood and stone as simple as possible?



I am glad to see a lot of different pipes here in the forum, some queens, some kings, some grandmas, bankers, coal miners and field workers, sailors, prostitutes and some half world creatures too. All have a certain thing in common, they are friendly, and you can smoke them.

I like pokers they are easy to build.