Kaywoodie Handmade Bent Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, American Estates

Description

Kaywoodie pipes are as American as apple pie. Starting in 1919 as a pipe brand for KB&B, a pipe shop dating all the way back to 1851, Kaywoodie has since then been a staple of American-made pipes. In the present, many Kaywoodies are collectors’ items, in addition to being fantastic smokers.

This Kaywoodie is a little odd. It’s from the make’s Handmade series, which appeared in the 1947 catalog, then disappeared, then reappeared decades later the pipes had stopped being made in the United States. The latter were more like Danish-style freehands, whereas the former were more like Custom-Bilt in terms of their handmade aspect. This looks to be one of the former; it is a very traditional full-bent billiard, with hand rusticated channels roving around its stummel. The one thing that confused me was that this pipe doesn’t have Kaywoodie’s Synchro-stem fitment or Drinkless stinger, though from my research it appears that, even for the older Kaywoodie Handmades, the patented fitment and stinger system associated with the make was not always present.

The condition is good. There’s some rim darkening and handling marks, and the chamber is a little out of round – possibly from reaming – but if it is from 1947 then it’s still held up remarkably well.

 

Details:

Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.95 / 24.13mm

Bowl Depth: 1.93″ / 49.02mm

Weight: 2.5oz / 72g