Who is the Greatest Living Artisan Pipe Maker?

[Cloozoe]

The client said to Nero Wolfe, "I understand you're the greatest detective in the world"

Wolfe replied, "I doubt it. The greatest detective in the world is probably some untutored tribesman in New Guinea."

Putting aside that there are lots of different criteria (makes a flawlessly smoking pipe with nothing that reduces its functionality? can make a perfect miniature hand carved briar copy of Rodin's The Thinker with a big hole drilled in the top of its head and a stem sticking out of its, um, navel?) and that most of them are subjective, every third pipe smoker today is also a pipe maker, and somewhere out there is one who is one in a million gifted and additionally, since he doesn't have to concern himself with commerce, lavishes an absurd amount of time and attention on every aspect of his work.

That guy is the greatest living pipemaker.

 

[Mike N]

Some interesting pipe maker names recommended, I’ll check them out.

Thanks.

 

[PipeIT]

It would of probably been better asked of, instead as;

‘Who are some of the Great pipe makers still alive’.

Of course, everyone’s opinions could still vary, on this.

But these are some of whom I’d assume are considered some of the Greats living, but this is also only a very partial few, and in no way a complete list of all the Great carvers out there.

Here are just a few, I assumed most pipe smokers consider as some of the Greats out there.

Former

https://www.formerpipes.com/

Tom Eltang

Tom Eltang Pipes

"It's good to be a pipe maker" - Tom Eltang, the official website....

www.eltang.com

J. Alan

Home | J. Alan Design

www.jalanpipes.com

Jess Chonowitsch

Chonowitsch, Jess - Pipedia

pipedia.org

Roman Kovalev

Roman Kovalev - Pipedia

pipedia.org

 

[AroEnglish]

Roman Kovalev

Roman Kovalev - Pipedia

pipedia.org

I’d never heard of him until now but he sounds like an absolute legend.

 

[jackets]

I’d never heard of him until now but he sounds like an absolute legend.

I saw and held one of his pipes at a show a couple of years ago and became obsessed. Unfortunately I don’t see myself dropping $2k+ on a pipe. I’m thrilled for guys who get to own and smoke pipes of his.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Michael Parks. He's supposed to be a really nice guy but I hate him. He makes cool stuff I can't afford. Oh sure, I could try harder and make more money but in this time of people wanting special unwarranted treatment for no good reason, that doesn't seem fair for him to do that to me just so I can own one of his pipes. It's very unwoke of him.

 

[AroEnglish]

Michael Parks. He's supposed to be a really nice guy but I hate him. He makes cool stuff I can't afford. Oh sure, I could try harder and make more money but in this time of people wanting special unwarranted treatment for no good reason, that doesn't seem fair for him to do that to me just so I can own one of his pipes. It's very unwoke of him.

View attachment 249274
View attachment 249276

I love Michael Parks until I saw this post. I hate him too now!

 

[Peterson314]

Michael Parks. He's supposed to be a really nice guy but I hate him. He makes cool stuff I can't afford. Oh sure, I could try harder and make more money but in this time of people wanting special unwarranted treatment for no good reason, that doesn't seem fair for him to do that to me just so I can own one of his pipes. It's very unwoke of him.

View attachment 249274
View attachment 249276

Damn! Everything on his website is super cool. Of course his signature is cool.

 

[Mike N]

I agree that it is hard to argue against Tom Eltang and a few others as having earned the title. I am looking hard at adding an Eltang to my collection at the right price point.

A week or so ago, I bought a beautiful Ser Jacopo Maior S1 shown below on right) for only $310 as the featured pipe on McCranie‘s, a classic old brick and mortar in Charlotte. It’s worth checking out their website. https://mccranies.com/

I had a new Yiannos Kokkinos (left photo below) in my Erik Stokkebye pipe bag at a local Pittsburgh mall and had about a half hour waiting for my wife. So I went outside to a smoking area at the mall to smoke the first bowl. Four young vape guys intermittently came by to finish their tiny e-pipes before entering the mall. Two commented on my Kokkinos and asked me where I got it, and two asked me what I was smoking (it was Old Toby from The Country Squire). One asked about the pipe bag. Maybe we can gain a convert or two when they see the beauty of a real hand made briar.

(tap on photo to enlarge)

 

[PipeIT]

I’ve never seen anyone here smoke a pipe from Parks, just Google, there’s not much of a following here, maybe because of the prices.

If you want a good Canadian carver at much lower prices, have a look at MiscoiPipes.

MiscoiPipes — Luxury handmade smoking pipes

Luxury handmade smoking pipes by MiscoiPipes

miscoipipes.com

For the money he wants, you could buy a pipe from Former, Eltang, Jose Rubio, J. Alan, or Roman Kovalev, just to name a few.

There are loads of Artisan carvers all around the world, putting out high caliber work at a fraction of the cost.

His pipes look nice, but expensive.

 

[jguss]

the prices aren’t realistic.

If he’s selling as many pipes as he wants, the prices are realistic.

 

[PipeIT]

If he’s selling as many pipes as he wants, the prices are realistic.

I edited over the post and took this out, didn’t think it was fair to say, look back up.

 

[jguss]

I edited over the post and took this out, didn’t think it was fair to say, look back up.

I guess it’s fair to say that what’s realistic for some buyers is unrealistic for others.

For the seller I think realistic is the price point where you’re selling everything you want to sell.

 

[AroEnglish]

I’ve never seen anyone here smoke a pipe from Parks, just Google, there’s not much of a following here, maybe because of the prices.

If you want a good Canadian carver at much lower prices, have a look at MiscoiPipes.

MiscoiPipes — Luxury handmade smoking pipes

Luxury handmade smoking pipes by MiscoiPipes

miscoipipes.com

For the money he wants, you could buy a pipe from Former, Eltang, Jose Rubio, J. Alan, or Roman Kovalev, just to name a few.

There are loads of Artisan carvers all around the world, putting out high caliber work at a fraction of the cost.

His pipes look nice, but expensive.

The Miscois are nice. What do they go for?

 

[RudyG]

For me, Larry Roush is hard to beat! Incredible smokers!

 

[JOHN72]

Good. Jokes aside. The most beautiful pipes I have seen around here are from USA, Danish, and Japanese manufacturers.

 

[RudyG]

Especially with that nice bent hanging down! LOL

 

[AroEnglish]

I do not know. I can tell you with certainty, that the most handsome guy on the forum is me. Just me. Sorry.

We know; no need to rub it in!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Today it’s @crashthegrey - just got this in the mail and it is performing great! Supposedly not legit because it didn’t come with a separate ornately designed box or autographed sock? Well, not so fast! Came with a cool sticker and candy! Stuff I can use! Seriously, well executed and compact and cool blast and finish. Thanks!!

 

[PipeIT]

The Miscois are nice. What do they go for?

Last I remember, much less expensive.

I’ve been really eye and considering one of these.

I’ll email to see now what they are going for.