Ferndown REO 1 Star Smooth Billiard Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates

Description

Ferndown pipes were made by the legendary British pipe-maker Leslie ‘Les’ John Wood, along with his wife Dolly. Both Les and Dolly previously worked for Dunhill, where Les developed his skills and reputation as Britain’s premier pipe silversmith, as well as one of its premier pipe carvers. Ferndown pipes are highly coveted by pipe-smokers due to their superlative craftsman(and woman!)ship, whose bowls are oil-cured and which typically feature beautiful silverwork. Sadly, Les and Dolly retired from pipe-making in 2016, making Ferndown pipes rather scarce – especially given how difficult it is to get their owners to part with them.

Ferndown pipes were, typically, much larger than most of their traditional English counterparts, and certainly much larger than the average Dunhill, despite Les and Dolly beginning their careers at the latter. As a soon to be published interview with Les Wood (on the main MBSD hub) will detail, Les and Dolly simply preferred larger pipes. Finding a more slender Ferndown, or a Ferndown that will be a comfortable clencher for most smokers is, therefore, not an easy task. But that doesn’t mean that these lighter pipes do not exist. This one, for example, is a 1 star size, making it something like a Dunhill group 4, and is extremely lightweight, at just 34 grams. It is dressed in the signature Ferndown red-and-brown “Reo” stain, and is fitted with a collar turned by the master silversmith himself.

The condition is great. The rim has some minor finish fading, and there is one spot on the left side of the bowl that looks to be a lighter spot in the briar used, but may also be a small handling mark. I’ve priced the pipe as if the latter was the case, just to be sure.

 

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.74 / 18.79mm

Bowl Depth: 1.5″ / 38.10mm

Weight: 1.1oz / 34g