Ferndown Bark 3 Star XL Rhodesian w/ Silver Spigot & Cap 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.

I remember that, on the cover of one of Richard Carleton Hacker’s books, there was the most extraordinary Ferndown. Not only did it have a sterling silver spigot, but it also had a silver cap and a windshield attached by a silver chain. I think a lot about that pipe, and hold out hope that, one day, it might just grace my desk. On the other hand, this one came in recently, and aside from the windshield, it’s a dead ringer. Just like Hacker’s pipe, it’s a large, quarter-bent Rhodesian, dressed in Les & Dolly’s signature “Bark” rustication, with Les’s sterling silverware in the form of a spigot mount and cap. Is it identical to Hacker’s Ferndown? No. But I try not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good—especially when it’s as good as this.

The condition is excellent, as it should be. Some very minor scratches on the silver. I can’t overstate how hard it was not to keep this one for myself.

 

Details:

Length: 6.8″ / 172.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.85 / 21.59mm

Bowl Depth: 1.6″ / 40.64mm

Weight: 3.1oz / 88g