Vauen 3986 Smooth Straight Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked, 9mm

Description

Vauen stems from Germany’s oldest tobacco pipe manufacturing company, tracing its roots back to the founding partnership of Karl Ellenberger and Carl August Ziener in Nuremberg, 1848. Out of the Ellenberger-Ziener partnership soon came the Vauen make itself, which grew to become Germany’s largest and most enduring pipe brand – a title that it continues to hold to this day.

This is certainly one of the most elegant Vauens I’ve ever held. I’m used to their designs being far more ‘German’ – more stout and more unorthodox – whereas this one radiates classic English charm. It actually reminds me quite a bit of the great English artisans, such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall, or Les Wood of Ferndown, as it’s very classically inclined, but with slightly larger proportions than, say, a Comoy’s or a Dunhill. If you’re looking for a billiard that has a fuller feel in the hand, and that can handle hotter mixtures, this should be perfect for you.

The pipe is also completely unsmoked, with a factory-original bowl coating to help with breaking it in. There’s what looks to be a small worn-out fill on the right side of the bowl, but it’s a very minor imperfection. The pipe is chambered for 9mm filters, as most Vauens are, but it would likely accommodate some kind of adapter if its owner prefers to smoke without one.

Details:

Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm

Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm

Bowl Depth: 1.7″ / 43.18mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g