2016 Scott Klein & Steve Morrisette Smooth Bent Egg Handmade Briar Pipe, Unsmoked [SOLD]

Description

American artisan Scott Klein spent the first part of his working life as a tradesman in various fields. As a student he had been keenly interested in design and manufacture, and after graduating he spent time working in construction, as a woodworker, and as a painter. In 2009, Klein was introduced by an extended family member to Russian-born master pipe-maker Alex Florov, who took the 20 year-old Klein on as an apprentice in his own craft. Though hesitant to take on any kind of student at first, Florov was ultimately swayed by Klein’s talents, imploring him to become a professional pipe-maker.

Fellow American artisan Steve Morrisette came to pipe-making as a collector of high-grade pipes, such as those of Teddy Knudsen, Paolo Becker, Tom Eltang, and Jess Chonowitsch. After studying the pipes of such masters, Morrisette started his own experiments on cheaper pipes, attempting to recreate what made the former so great. After moving on to hobby kits, Morrisette happened to befriend Jeff Gracik, of J. Alan pipes, while visiting a pipe show, who brought Morrisette into his workshop to introduce him to high-grade pipe construction. In the next few years, in part through similar experiences of generous skill-sharing by Todd Johnson and Brad Pohlman, Morrisette continued to develop his pipe-making technique, striving to create pipes that would stand next to those that had first inspired his career as an artisan.

I’ll admit, when this pipe landed on my desk, I was a little confused by it. I recognized Scott Klein’s name on the bottom of the shank, so I presumed it must be one of his. But I also recognized the stamp of another great American pipe-maker, Steve Morrisette. This was odd, I thought, because though I knew the two were friends and had been business partners at one point, the only pipes I’d known about that Klein and Morrisette were both involved with were Scott’s Pipes. Now, Scott’s Pipes are very good pipes, but they’re very different to this one. Furthermore, I’m pretty sure this pipe, from 2016, predates the Scott’s Pipes venture. So, what’s this one? Thankfully, I was able to email Scott and ask if he remembered it, which he did. Per Scott, this is the “only handmade collaboration between Steve Morrisette and [Scott Klein]” ever produced.

So, it’s a “rare pipe indeed,” as Scott put it. It’s a beautiful one, too, being a Danish-American egg, with a very interesting addition of four abalone inlays at the end of the shank. It’s also completely unsmoked, with an original – though flaking ever so slightly – bowl coating.

 

Details:

Length: 5″ / 127.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.89 / 22.60mm

Bowl Depth: 1.39″ / 35.30mm

Weight: 1.4oz / 40g