While China has long been associated with cheaper factory pipes, a new generation of artisans and workshops have emerged over the past decade, producing some genuinely excellent pipes. HS Studio is an example of the latter, being a Hong Kong workshop dedicated to crafting handmade briars, typically in shapes and styles reminiscent of the post-war…
Sebastian Heck is part of younger generation of highly skilled artisans to have emerged from Germany in recent years. Based in Heidelberg, Heck took up pipe smoking—and, ultimately, pipe-making—as part of a conscious effort toward slowing down in an otherwise constantly accelerating modern world. Like many pipe-makers, Heck took his first steps into the craft…
B. Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. The “Fossil” was the name adopted for sandblasted…
Ryan Alden is an artisan pipe-maker from Texas in the United States. Something of a renaissance man, Alden is not only an extremely talented pipe-maker, but also someone trained in fine arts and other crafts, such as painting, sculpture, ceramics, and leather-working. For us in the pipe world, however, it is his hand made smoking…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Chris Morgan is an American artisan pipe-maker based in California. Beginning his pipe-making career in 2006, Morgan has managed to carve a distinct niche for himself in the contemporary pipe scene – or, rather, many niches. Morgan creates high-grade pipes both as part of his Signature line and as part of his Workshop line, which…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
As a child, Piero Vitale spent many an afternoon in the workshop of his grandfather, who was a carpenter and luthier. This proclivity for working with his hands translated into a number of artistic pursuits as he grew up, including painting and wood carving. Then Vitale was introduced to the world of handmade pipes by…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Chris Morgan is an American artisan pipe-maker based in California. Beginning his pipe-making career in 2006, Morgan has managed to carve a distinct niche for himself in the contemporary pipe scene – or, rather, many niches. Morgan creates high-grade pipes both as part of his Signature line and as part of his Workshop line, which…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Comoy’s is a historic brand in pipe making, and possibly the most historic brand in the making of briar pipes. Though originally founded in 1825 by a French family from Saint Claude, France, production of Comoy’s pipes was soon moved to London, England, where it established itself as one of the quintessential English pipe companies….
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Mastro Geppetto pipes are made by the Italian workshop brand Ser Jacopo. One could call them Ser Jacopo’s series of ‘affordable’ pipes, and while this would be correct purely from the standpoint of price, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to them in other regards. Geppetto pipes are hand made from the same high-grade briar as…
Bari was a pipe company founded in Kolding, Denmark, in 1950. Along with Stanwell, Bari was one of the first companies that started the Danish movement in pipe-making, offering innovative designs and propelling its founders and carvers into celebrity status within the pipe world. Bari’s founder was Viggo Nielsen, whose sons Kai Nielsen and Jørgen…
Kriswill was a Danish pipe company, and one of the great 20th century Danish makes, alongside the likes of Bari, Bjarne, and Stanwell. It was founded by Karl Robert Kris, originally a solo pipe-maker, who expanded his enterprise in the 1950s, leading to the birth of Kriswill and its Kolding factory. Kriswill found considerable success…
Mastro Geppetto pipes are made by the Italian workshop brand Ser Jacopo. One could call them Ser Jacopo’s series of ‘affordable’ pipes, and while this would be correct purely from the standpoint of price, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to them in other regards. Geppetto pipes are hand made from the same high-grade briar as…
Comoy’s is a historic brand in pipe making, and possibly the most historic brand in the making of briar pipes. Though originally founded in 1825 by a French family from Saint Claude, France, production of Comoy’s pipes was soon moved to London, England, where it established itself as one of the quintessential English pipe companies….
Savory’s was an English make originally founded in 1885, but ultimately – as with Hardcastle, Charatan, and Ben Wade – it was absorbed by Dunhill and used as a Dunhill sub-brand. For a sub-brand, this Savory’s has some very nice sandblasting. It’s light in application, but highlights the natural ring grain of the briar very…
Chacom is one of France’s most historic and iconic makes. Its founders, the Comoy family, began their career as boxwood pipe-makers in the early 1800s, before briar had even been discovered, with Henri Comoy (of Comoy’s fame) emigrating to England in 1879 and founding the country’s first briar pipe factory. In 1922, Henri and his…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
Doctor’s Pipes are made by artisan pipe-maker Roman Kovalev. Based in Saint Petersburg, Kovalev’s pipe-making moniker derives from his sixteen years spent as a pediatric neurologist, and the consequent nickname of ‘Doc’ given by his friends. Taking up pipe-making in the early 2010s, and with a great deal of inspiration from Japanese masters such as…
Born and raised in the small town of Gueydan, Louisana, Jay Mouton is an American artisan who works under the moniker of J. Mouton. Having crafted duck calls since he was a teenager, Mouton’s first forays into pipe-making began with carving tampers. Mouton’s unexpected successes with these handmade tampers allowed him to purchase the equipment…
Doctor’s Pipes are made by artisan pipe-maker Roman Kovalev. Based in Saint Petersburg, Kovalev’s pipe-making moniker derives from his sixteen years spent as a pediatric neurologist, and the consequent nickname of ‘Doc’ given by his friends. Taking up pipe-making in the early 2010s, and with a great deal of inspiration from Japanese masters such as…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
$350.00Original price was: $350.00.$325.00Current price is: $325.00.
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Dave Neeb spent the first part of his life as an attorney. Upon retiring, however, he turned his hand to an altogether different vocation: pipes. First, Neeb was a pipe seller; he then learned the art of pipe restoration; finally, under the tutelage of Lee Von Erck and Rad Davis, he took up making artisan…
$420.00Original price was: $420.00.$400.00Current price is: $400.00.
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
In 2022, Chris Morgan teamed up with friend and fellow artisan pipe-maker Sean Reum to create the Workshop series. The series was intended to be a step-up from factory pipes, offering pipe smokers hand made pipes at a more affordable price point. Small batches of Workshop pipes continue to be made every so often, though…
$325.00Original price was: $325.00.$275.00Current price is: $275.00.
Ascorti belongs to a historic lineage in Italian artisan pipe-making. Guiseppe ‘Peppino’ Ascorti was first employed as a pipe-maker in the 1950s, in Carlo Scotti’s Castello workshop in Cantu. There he met Luigi Radice, and in the 1960s the two decided to leave Castello to create their own pipe-making workshop, under the name ‘Caminetto.’ At…
Chacom is one of France’s most historic and iconic makes. Its founders, the Comoy family, began their career as boxwood pipe-makers in the early 1800s, before briar had even been discovered, with Henri Comoy (of Comoy’s fame) emigrating to England in 1879 and founding the country’s first briar pipe factory. In 1922, Henri and his…
$90.00Original price was: $90.00.$72.00Current price is: $72.00.
Though of a leaner style than many of Rossi’s shapes, the “8701” saddle-stemmed Billiard still features a surprising amount of chamber and some pretty bold Italian proportions overall. Here in Rossi’s Sitting series, it features a flattened panel along the underside, allowing it to sit soundly on a flat surface. A great choice to recommend…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
One could say that Silver Gray is one of America’s preeminent female pipe-makers. While this would be true, it would perhaps not be entirely fair, both because pipe-making is overwhelmingly male as a professional demographic, and because Silver Gray is a preeminent pipe-maker, full stop. Gray previously worked as a fabric designer, but through her…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
In the world of pipes, Tom Eltang needs no introduction. I will, however, give one anyway, if just as a reminder. Eltang made his first pipe from a Pipe-Dan hobby kit at the age of 11. At age 16, he apprenticed under the legendary Anne Julie, before moving on to work for Pipe-Dan three years…
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…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Collaborations in the world of artisan pipes are rare, but when they do occur, the results can be quite special. Both Paolo Becker and Massimo Musicò were second-generation pipe-makers, inheriting from their fathers, Fritz Becker and Giorgio Musicò, a great talent for crafting handmade pipes. In 1990, Paolo and Massimo began making pipes together under…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Danish pipe-making is notable not only for its masters, but its dynasties. The most famous is, of course, Sixten Ivarsson and his son Lars Ivarsson and granddaughter Nanna Ivarsson; but there is also Anne Julie, her son Bernhard Julie, and her grandson Johannes “Suhr” Rasmussen; Ib Loran and his daughter Tine Loran; Kurt Balleby and…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Astleys was one of London’s most historic pipe and tobacco shops. Like many pipe tobacconists, its owners had pipes made specially to be sold under the shop’s name. Astleys pipes, however, were made by some of the premier pipe manufacturers and artisans in the UK, such as Dunhill, Charatan, Ashton, Les Wood and Dolly Wood…
While Davidoff is most popularly known for its cigars, the company has also sold tobacco pipes (and pipe tobacco) since the 1970s. Like S.T. Dupont, Davidoff contracted established pipe-makers from across Europe to create high-grade smoking instruments that would match the luxury status of their other wares. This pipe is a particularly reserved rendition of…
While for many years China has been associated with factories pumping out cheap rosewood pipes, HS Studio is different because, as far as my understanding goes, the pipes are mostly made freehand by artisan carvers, kinda like the great Danish ones of old, or Savinelli’s Autograph division. If you’ve been keeping up with the world…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello quickly became known for producing some of the finest smoking pipes in the world. Over the years, the people involved in making Castello pipes has changed – such as Luigi Radice and Sergio Ascorti, who developed their skills in the Cantu workshop before leaving to start Caminetto, or…
Jack Howell is an American artisan pipe-maker based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Beginning his pipe-making profession in 1999, Howell balances making high-grade pipes with his other career as a musician in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. While the latter is Howell’s self-admitted primary vocation, Howell’s pipes are a cult favorite among pipe-smokers and are renowned for their…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
As a child, Piero Vitale spent many an afternoon in the workshop of his grandfather, who was a carpenter and luthier. This proclivity for working with his hands translated into a number of artistic pursuits as he grew up, including painting and wood carving. Then Vitale was introduced to the world of handmade pipes by…
Karl Erik was a Danish pipe-maker, and one of the originators of the Danish style of pipe-making that swept the world in the 20th century. He was a prolific carver and many who apprenticed in his workshop went on to become iconic pipe-makers in their own right, such as Peder Jeppesen and Bent Nielsen (Benner)….
While for many years China has been associated with factories pumping out cheap rosewood pipes, HS Studio is different because, as far as my understanding goes, the pipes are mostly made freehand by artisan carvers, kinda like the great Danish ones of old, or Savinelli’s Autograph division. If you’ve been keeping up with the world…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Ser Jacopo is likely the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe-making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello quickly became known for producing some of the finest smoking pipes in the world. Over the years, the people involved in making Castello pipes has changed – such as Luigi Radice and Sergio Ascorti, who developed their skills in the Cantu workshop before leaving to start Caminetto, or…
Radice is one of the great Italian workshop pipe makes, belonging to a historic lineage of such workshops. The company began as a family affair, being established in 1980 by Luigi Radice, along with his son, Gianluca, and father, Paolo. But Radice’s pipe-making ‘family’ is a little larger than that. Prior to founding Radice, Luigi…
James Upshall was, along with Ferndown and Ashton, part of a new wave of British hand-made, high-grade pipes in the late 20th century, with their founders largely coming from previous positions in the factories of companies such as Dunhill and Charatan. James Upshall was founded in 1978 by Barry Jones and Ken Barnes, both of…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Alpha pipes were made by Israel’s Shalom company. Shalom holds the title of being the only pipe factory to have operated out of Israel. Over the years, Shalom put out pipes in a variety of styles, from classic English and French shapes to pipes with a more modern, Danish aesthetic. Alpha was a Shalom brand…
James Upshall was, along with Ferndown and Ashton, part of a new wave of British hand-made, high-grade pipes in the late 20th century, with their founders largely coming from previous positions in the factories of companies such as Dunhill and Charatan. James Upshall was founded in 1978 by Barry Jones and Ken Barnes, both of…
Chris Morgan is an American artisan pipe-maker based in California. Beginning his pipe-making career in 2006, Morgan has managed to carve a distinct niche for himself in the contemporary pipe scene – or, rather, many niches. Morgan creates high-grade pipes both as part of his Signature line and as part of his Workshop line, which…
Chris Morgan is an American artisan pipe-maker based in California. Beginning his pipe-making career in 2006, Morgan has managed to carve a distinct niche for himself in the contemporary pipe scene – or, rather, many niches. Morgan creates high-grade pipes both as part of his Signature line and as part of his Workshop line, which…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
John Peel is a pipe make that appears to have fueled debates within the community for a long time. Exactly who made them—and, perhaps more importantly, when they made them—is still being pondered, as more John Peel pipes turn up on the estates circuit. This is an example of one of Barling’s John Peel pipes, as…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
America’s Vermont Freehand is well-known to pipe-makers, by virtue of it being a trusted supplier of the largest range of pipe-making materials currently available at any one place. Vermont Freehand’s owner, Steve Norse, is also a respected artisan pipe-maker, though due to his busy schedule running VF’s supply operations, his own pipes are produced very…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
A very classical rendition of the bent billiard from Holland’s Big Ben, though one with a slightly modern twist by way of an oval shank. The condition is great. Some very minor rim darkening. Details: Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm Bowl Width: 0.80 / 20.32mm Bowl Depth: 1.7″ / 43.18mm Weight: 2.0oz / 58g
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Kriswill was a Danish pipe company, and one of the great 20th century Danish makes, alongside the likes of Bari, Bjarne, and Stanwell. It was founded by Karl Robert Kris, originally a solo pipe-maker, who expanded his enterprise in the 1950s, leading to the birth of Kriswill and its Kolding factory. Kriswill found considerable success…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
A graduate of industrial design and of a less formal apprenticeship under Todd Johnson, Adam Davidson has become one of North America’s most renowned artisan pipe-makers. Davidson initially worked with Johnson on his Medici pipes, while also being employed as a refurbisher for one of America’s leading pipe dealers. He then went solo, soon rising…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
I’m not entirely sure who made this pipe, but the stamping does remind me of the one used on Charatan’s seconds, such as the International Selection, so perhaps it’s one of those. It’s a very traditional bent billiard, with a deep, 3/4 bend and almost swan-neck design, like the 120 and LC shapes Dunhill used…
Collaborations between pipe-making companies are rare. Collaborations between pipe-making companies based in two separate continents – not to mention companies known for very different styles of pipes – are rarer still. Yet here we have a pipe from a very limited edition series that came about from a collaboration between America’s Kirsten and Japan’s Tsuge….
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
A graduate of industrial design and art history, Xin Li came to pipe-making by chance, after a mutual friend introduced him to the notable Chinese artisan Yang Zhimin. Xin and Yang quickly developed a rapport, in part because both had attended the prestigious China Academy of Art, and because both had an affinity for woodworking….
A graduate of industrial design and art history, Xin Li came to pipe-making by chance, after a mutual friend introduced him to the notable Chinese artisan Yang Zhimin. Xin and Yang quickly developed a rapport, in part because both had attended the prestigious China Academy of Art, and because both had an affinity for woodworking….
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Tsuge is Japan’s largest and most internationally renowned pipe company, having been founded in 1936 by Kyoichiro Tsuge. In the 1970s, however, Tsuge was so impressed by the pipes coming out of Denmark, that he sent two of Tsuge’s own master pipe-makers, Kazuhiro Fukuda and Smio Satou, to hone their craft under the likes of…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
I’ve followed the work of Petr Pohludka for a few years now. He’s an artisan pipe-maker from the Czech Republic, with a workshop in the Beskid Mountains. The pipes are all hand crafted and are very distinct, even in this golden age of artisan makers. There’s a touch of Danish and German influence in his…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Introducing the Volkan make requires a brief detour into Italian pipe history. Jean-Marie Alberto Paronelli, born in 1914, was one of the ‘fathers’ of Italian artisan pipe-making, a renown he achieved through pipes made under his own name, through designs he contributed to major Italian makes, and through his distribution of other artisan makes, such…
Alpha pipes were made by Israel’s Shalom company. Shalom holds the title of being the only pipe factory to have operated out of Israel. Over the years, Shalom put out pipes in a variety of styles, from classic English and French shapes to pipes with a more modern, Danish aesthetic. Alpha was a Shalom brand…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Like many tobacconists, Rome-based Novelli has had house-brand pipes produced for the store by established pipe-makers in the area. I spoke to the current owner of Novelli, Marco, who said that this one was made by an artisan on the east coast of Italy. As this pipe was made around the 1990s, when Marco’s father…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
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…
Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. As we summarize in our Dating Barling Pipes guide…
Named for the company’s home township, Brebbia was founded in 1953 by Enea Buzzi, an alum of Savinelli’s manufacturing division. Still in operation 70 years later, Brebbia is one of Italy’s oldest extant pipe companies, with production still being undertaken using simple lathes and traditional methods of hand finishing. More recently, Brebbia has also collaborated…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Il Ceppo is an Italian brand that has been producing high-grade pipes since the 1970s. Founded by the architect Giorgio Imperatori in Pesaro, Italy, Il Ceppo is a central figure in what has been called the Pesaro School of pipe design, along with other companies such as Ser Jacopo and Mastro de Paja. This particular…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
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 veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Preben Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in 20th century pipe-making – a movement that still dominates the high-grade pipe scene. By hand-shaping his pipes on a belt sander, Holm was able to make the most of the…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
The Becker family is one of Italy’s most renowned pipe-making lineages. Beginning with the painter, sculptor, and WW2 British intelligence officer Fritz Becker, the Becker name became synonymous with Italian high-quality pipes after Fritz was discovered by Giorgio Musico, a pipe-maker himself, and owner of a popular pipe shop in Rome. Both Fritz and Giorgio…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
James Upshall was, along with Ferndown and Ashton, part of a new wave of British hand-made, high-grade pipes in the late 20th century, with their founders largely coming from previous positions in the factories of companies such as Dunhill and Charatan. James Upshall was founded in 1978 by Barry Jones and Ken Barnes, both of…
WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Ernie Markle is an American artisan pipe-maker based in Arizona. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Markle had a background in philosophy and Spanish, but had ultimately arrived at a career in finance. Inspired by the creations of contemporary carvers such as Alex Florov, Markle became interested in making his own pipes in the late-2000s. To…
Hardcastle was founded by Edmund Hardcastle in 1906, in London, England. Like many pipe-makers of the time, such as Barling and Sasieni Hardcastle was originally a family-owned business, with its ‘family era’ coming to an end over the course of the years 1936-1946. During this time, Dunhill partially, then fully, bought out the Hardcastle factory…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Aldo Velani pipes are made by Cesare Barontini at the latter’s factory in Italy. Originally, Aldo Velani was conceived by Mastercraft to be a new Italian make for the American market, as all of Mastercraft’s other pipes at the time were of English or French origin. Mastercraft partnered with Barontini, and thus the Aldo Velani…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Jody Davis is a rockstar – literally. As a member of the Nashville rock group The Newsboys, he doesn’t have much time to make pipes these days, meaning his output is very limited. He’s also a rockstar in the pipe world, which makes the few pipes that he does put out each year extremely coveted….
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Among today’s vibrant scene of high-grade artisan pipe-makers, there are yet few who command as much respect as Jess Chonowitsch. He began his career in 1966, working alongside his father, Emil, at Teofil Suhr’s workshop and under Poul Rasmussen’s direction. After Rasmussen’s passing in 1967, Jess joined the W.O. Larsen workshop alongside other budding masters,…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
H.T.L. pipes are a little mysterious, but it has been suggested that these pipes were a house-brand for Californian tobacconist Hiland’s Tobacco Locker (with one person suggesting this having worked at a Hiland’s branch in years past). The pipes were made for Hiland’s by established makes of the time, including Savinelli, Comoy’s and GBD. This…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Though I can’t be completely sure, this looks to have been made by Weber, who made bullcap and bullmoose shapes under the Scoop name. Weber Pipe Co. was a major American pipe company established by German immigrant Carl B. Weber in 1938, also known for writing the book Weber’s Guide to Pipes and Pipe Smoking….
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Born and raised in the small town of Gueydan, Louisana, Jay Mouton is an American artisan who works under the moniker of J. Mouton. Having crafted duck calls since he was a teenager, Mouton’s first forays into pipe-making began with carving tampers. Mouton’s unexpected successes with these handmade tampers allowed him to purchase the equipment…
Mario Grandi pipes are made by Italy’s Pierluigi family, headed by Aldo Pierluigi, an artisan pipe-maker since the 1970s. The Pierluigi family are also responsible for the Pierluigi make, as well as Mastro Beraldi. While I’ve categorized this Mario Grandi as a Rhodesian to better suit search algorithms, as well as our own category system,…
Born and raised in the small town of Gueydan, Louisana, Jay Mouton is an American artisan who works under the moniker of J. Mouton. Having crafted duck calls since he was a teenager, Mouton’s first forays into pipe-making began with carving tampers. Mouton’s unexpected successes with these handmade tampers allowed him to purchase the equipment…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Ser Jacopo is likely the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe-making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Much like in Denmark or Japan, many of the great names in Italian artisan pipe-making got their start working for other greats in their famous workshops. This was the case for artisans such as Giancarlo Guidi, Luigi Radice, Sergio Ascorti, and Maurizio Tombari. Luigi Viprati, on the other hand, is one of the few self-taught…
The American Smoking Pipe Company was founded in 1978 by artisans Mark Tinsky and Curt Rollar. Tinsky and Rollar’s venture was part of a new wave of North American hand made pipe making that emerged in the 1970s and ’80s, including artisan carvers such as Mike Butera, Tim West, Elliot Nachtwalter and Jorg Jemelka. Despite…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
A graduate of industrial design and of a less formal apprenticeship under Todd Johnson, Adam Davidson has become one of North America’s most renowned artisan pipe-makers. Davidson initially worked with Johnson on his Medici pipes, while also being employed as a refurbisher for one of America’s leading pipe dealers. He then went solo, soon rising…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
Mastro Geppetto pipes are made by the Italian workshop brand Ser Jacopo. One could call them Ser Jacopo’s series of ‘affordable’ pipes, and while this would be correct purely from the standpoint of price, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to them in other regards. Geppetto pipes are hand made from the same high-grade briar as…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Mastro Geppetto pipes are made by the Italian workshop brand Ser Jacopo. One could call them Ser Jacopo’s series of ‘affordable’ pipes, and while this would be correct purely from the standpoint of price, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to them in other regards. Geppetto pipes are hand made from the same high-grade briar as…
Like many Italian workshop brands, Ardor pipes are a family affair. The name itself is an acronym of Angelo Rovera and Dorelio Rovera, father and son pipe-makers who created the brand in 1972. The Rovera family’s history with pipes goes back much further, however, as Angelo’s own father, Francesco, had previously established the Sociedade Rovera…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. The ‘Fossil’ was the name adopted for sandblasted pipes…
Michael Parks is an artisan pipe-maker from Canada. Parks is renowned for his high-grade pipes, as well as for his ability to create traditional and modern shapes, as well as sculptural pieces that further blend the line between smoking instruments and fine art. As with a previous Michael Parks listing, I found this pipe to…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Digby was a sub-brand made by GBD. GBD itself was founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, before the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century. Retaining the name, Oppenheimer opened GBD factories in London and Paris to meet an increasing demand for the…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Frassati pipes are made by Joshua Sanders, an American artsian based in Texas. A dedicated Catholic, the Sanders’ Frassati moniker is an homage to Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian Catholic who spent his life in the service of the poor and less fortunate (and a keen pipe smoker). You can’t beat an egg. In fact,…
Peter Heeschen was one of the great Danish pipe-makers of the late-20th and early 21st-century. Heeschen’s father was a pipe-maker who worked primarily with cherry wood, which provided an early impetus for him to experiment with making his own pipes. Heeschen did not immediately pursue a career in pipe-making, however, and instead drifted in and…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello quickly became known for producing some of the finest smoking pipes in the world. Over the years, the people involved in making Castello pipes has changed – such as Luigi Radice and Sergio Ascorti, who developed their skills in the Cantu workshop before leaving to start Caminetto, or…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Kent Joyce is an American artisan from Oklahoma. Originally a collector of high-grade smoking pipes, Joyce ultimately turned to making his own, taking inspiration from the masters in and outside of his personal collection. Along the way, he has studied in the creation of handmade pipes under influential American carvers, such as Premal Chheda. This…
Ascorti belongs to a historic lineage in Italian artisan pipe-making. Guiseppe ‘Peppino’ Ascorti was first employed as a pipe-maker in the 1950s, in Carlo Scotti’s Castello workshop in Cantu. There he met Luigi Radice, and in the 1960s the two decided to leave Castello to create their own pipe-making workshop, under the name ‘Caminetto.’ At…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Like Castello, Mastro de Paja holds a special place in the world of Italian high-grade pipe workshops. Founded in 1972 by Giancarlo Guidi, the MdP team was soon joined by Giannino Spadoni and Bruto Sordini with the Guidi and Spadoni at the helm of the company until 1981. Guidi then left with Sordini to found…
Ali Abdul Jabar, otherwise known as AJ Pipes, is an artisan pipe-maker from Indonesia and one of the leading figures in the emerging Indonesian pipe-making scene. There is a clear Danish influence in Jabar’s pipes, which are often reminiscent of the work of icons such as Sixten Ivarsson, Bo Nordh, Lars Ivarsson, Jess Chonowitsch and…
Comoy’s is a historic brand in pipe making, and possibly the most historic brand in the making of briar pipes. Though originally founded in 1825 by a French family from Saint Claude, France, production of Comoy’s pipes was soon moved to London, England, where it established itself as one of the quintessential English pipe companies….
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
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…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
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…
The American Smoking Pipe Company was founded in 1978 by artisans Mark Tinsky and Curt Rollar. Tinsky and Rollar’s venture was part of a new wave of North American hand made pipe making that emerged in the 1970s and ’80s, including artisan carvers such as Mike Butera, Tim West, Elliot Nachtwalter and Jorg Jemelka. Despite…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
With its origins in an 1858 collaboration between Jean-Baptiste Choquin and Gustave Butz, Butz-Choquin ultimately become one of the premier smoking pipe companies in 20th century France. The brand is known both for its stylish variations on traditional English-French shapes and for its exploration of atypical and elaborate finishes. The brand is also known for…
Steve Liskey is an American artisan from California’s San Bernadino County. Having originally studied pipe-making under Jeff ‘J. Alan’ Gracik and Todd Johnson, Liskey achieved renown in the modern American high-grade scene thanks to his artistic inclinations in pipe design, as well as his skillful blending of American, Danish, and Japanese traditions. As I’ve said…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Like many Italian workshop brands, Ardor pipes are a family affair. The name itself is an acronym of Angelo Rovera and Dorelio Rovera, father and son pipe-makers who created the brand in 1972. The Rovera family’s history with pipes goes back much further, however, as Angelo’s own father, Francesco, had previously established the Sociedade Rovera…
Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
J.T. Cooke is a Vermont-based American artisan carver with a number of impressive credentials under his belt. Cooke was originally based at Elliot Nachtwalter and Jeorg Jemelka’s The Briar Workshop, in a role which included making pipes for Wilke’s tobacconist in Philadelphia. After leaving the Workshop, Cooke collaborated with Barry Levin in establishing the estate…
Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
A graduate of industrial design and of a less formal apprenticeship under Todd Johnson, Adam Davidson has become one of North America’s most renowned artisan pipe-makers. Davidson initially worked with Johnson on his Medici pipes, while also being employed as a refurbisher for one of America’s leading pipe dealers. He then went solo, soon rising…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Dave Neeb spent the first part of his life as an attorney. Upon retiring, however, he turned his hand to an altogether different vocation: pipes. First, Neeb was a pipe seller; he then learned the art of pipe restoration; finally, under the tutelage of Lee Von Erck and Rad Davis, he took up making artisan…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
Mastro Beraldi pipes are crafted by the Pierluigi family in Rome, Italy, headed by Aldo Pierluigi. After creating the Pierluigi make in the 1970s, Aldo and his family decided to apply their Italian artisan approach to a new make for American exports. This make was named Mastro Beraldi There is something really different about this…
Like Castello, Mastro de Paja holds a special place in the world of Italian high-grade pipe workshops. Founded in 1972 by Giancarlo Guidi, the MdP team was soon joined by Giannino Spadoni and Bruto Sordini with the Guidi and Spadoni at the helm of the company until 1981. Guidi then left with Sordini to found…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon…
After arriving in Varese, Italy, with the intention of becoming a pipe-maker, Tommaso Spanu was taken under the wing of Alberto Paronelli, one of the first modern-Italian master carvers. From here, Tom Spanu was charged with creating the high-grade Clairmont make owned and distributed by Paronelli. I’ve elected to classify this as a Dublin, but…
Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello quickly became known for producing some of the finest smoking pipes in the world. Over the years, the people involved in making Castello pipes has changed – such as Luigi Radice and Sergio Ascorti, who developed their skills in the Cantu workshop before leaving to start Caminetto, or…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
Ser Jacopo is likely the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe-making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Konstantin Shekita is a Ukrainian artisan pipe-maker – in fact, one of the first of his kind in Ukraine. In his life, Shekita has been a sportsman and a stuntman, but his work with pipes first began in the 1990s, in Ukraine’s Golden Gate pipe factory. Here, Shekita learned to make machine-made pipes; in the…
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. The shape ’42’ medium…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
While Smio Satou was not the first pipe-maker in his family, he is certainly the most renowned. In fact, Satou is not only one of the most accomplished pipe makers in Japan, but in the entire world. He began his career at Tsuge, and in the 1970s he and Kazuhiro Fukuda traveled to Denmark to…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
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…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
Tsuge is Japan’s largest and most internationally renowned pipe company, having been founded in 1936 by Kyoichiro Tsuge. In the 1970s, however, Tsuge was so impressed by the pipes coming out of Denmark, that he sent two of Tsuge’s own master pipe-makers, Kazuhiro Fukuda and Smio Satou, to hone their craft under the likes of…
The Bones pipe, also known as the Morgan Bones, is the brainchild of American artisan Chris Morgan. Originally conceived in 2015, the idea behind the bones was to offer a pipe that was both affordable and honest, as many pipes in this former category tended to rely on putty fills and other techniques to hide…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Astleys was one of London’s most historic pipe and tobacco shops. Like many pipe tobacconists, its owners had pipes made specially to be sold under the shop’s name. Astleys pipes, however, were made by some of the premier pipe manufacturers and artisans in the UK, such as Dunhill, Charatan, Les Wood, and Ken Barnes and…
Age (or rather, Åge) Bogelund is a somewhat less known carver from the 20th century Danish pipe-making tradition – though he was no less a master than his contemporaries. Originally, he worked for Viggo Nielsen’s Bari pipe company, being charged with making some of its higher-grade freehands. Later, Bogelund made pipes under his own name,…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
Like Castello, Mastro de Paja holds a special place in the world of Italian high-grade pipe workshops. Founded in 1972 by Giancarlo Guidi, the MdP team was soon joined by Giannino Spadoni and Bruto Sordini with the Guidi and Spadoni at the helm of the company until 1981. Guidi then left with Sordini to found…
Among today’s vibrant scene of high-grade artisan pipe-makers, there are yet few who command as much respect as Jess Chonowitsch. He began his career in 1966, working alongside his father, Emil, at Teofil Suhr’s workshop and under Poul Rasmussen’s direction. After Rasmussen’s passing in 1967, Jess joined the W.O. Larsen workshop alongside other budding masters,…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Ben Wade was founded, as might be expected, by Leeds-based English pipe merchant Benjamin Wade in 1860. Soon after, Wade opened his own workshop to produce quintessentially British pipes. As one of the first makes to create pipes from briar, Ben Wade has a special place in pipe history, one only made more special by…
Chacom is one of France’s most historic and iconic makes. Its founders, the Comoy family, began their career as boxwood pipe-makers in the early 1800s, before briar had even been discovered, with Henri Comoy (of Comoy’s fame) emigrating to England in 1879 and founding the country’s first briar pipe factory. In 1922, Henri and his…
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…
Personal Reserve pipes were made by William Ashton Taylor of Ashton Pipes (those Made in England) and Luigi Radice of Radice (those made in Italy), but their origin is a fascinating story in itself. These pipes were commissioned by Barry Levin, whose venture, Levin Pipes International (LPI), arguably first kicked off the modern estate pipes…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
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…
James Upshall was, along with Ferndown and Ashton, part of a new wave of British hand-made, high-grade pipes in the late 20th century, with their founders largely coming from previous positions in the factories of companies such as Dunhill and Charatan. James Upshall was founded in 1978 by Barry Jones and Ken Barnes, both of…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Jack Howell is an American artisan pipe-maker based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Beginning his pipe-making profession in 1999, Howell balances making high-grade pipes with his other career as a musician in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. While the latter is Howell’s self-admitted primary vocation, Howell’s pipes are a cult favorite among pipe-smokers and are renowned for their…
Piero Vitale is an Italian artisan who began his pipe-making career in 2014. A member of Italy’s prestigious Accademia della Pipa, Vitale has found considerable success both as the maker of Vitale pipes, and as the designer of the Bluebird and Proxima makes. While his work is inspired by Tom Eltang, Kent Rasmussen, Gian Gamboni…
James Upshall was, along with Ferndown and Ashton, part of a new wave of British hand-made, high-grade pipes in the late 20th century, with their founders largely coming from previous positions in the factories of companies such as Dunhill and Charatan. James Upshall was founded in 1978 by Barry Jones and Ken Barnes, both of…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Astleys was one of London’s most historic pipe and tobacco shops. Like many pipe tobacconists, its owners had pipes made specially to be sold under the shop’s name. Astleys pipes, however, were made by some of the premier pipe manufacturers and artisans in the UK, such as Dunhill, Charatan, Les Wood, and Ken Barnes and…
Jared Coles is a North American pipe-maker based in California. Coles is one of the undisputed masters of the contemporary American artisan scene, but that shouldn’t be surprising given the teachers he’s had. A pipe smoker since an early age, Coles discovered high-grade pipes while studying at college and took up pipe-making himself in 2008….
Astleys was one of London’s most historic pipe and tobacco shops. Like many pipe tobacconists, its owners had pipes made specially to be sold under the shop’s name. Astleys pipes, however, were made by some of the premier pipe manufacturers and artisans in the UK, such as Dunhill, Charatan, Les Wood, and Ken Barnes and…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
Celius pipes were hand made in the workshop of Svend Axel Celius, one of the first generation of iconic carvers in the Danish style that emerged in the mid-20th century. Beginning his career under Poul Rasmussen and Sven Knudsen, Celius later started his own brand of pipes using his last name, while also occasionally carving…
Bari was a pipe company founded in Kolding, Denmark, in 1950. Along with Stanwell, Bari was one of the first companies that started the Danish movement in pipe-making, offering innovative designs and propelling its founders and carvers into celebrity status within the pipe world. Bari’s founder was Viggo Nielsen, whose sons Kai Nielsen and Jørgen…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
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…
Robert ‘Rad’ Davis is an American pipe-maker from Foley, Alabama. A life-long pipe smoker, Davis was introduced to making pipes by Mark Tinsky, and has since become one of North America’s most respected carvers, with a devoted following. Along the way, Davis has been able to tutor other American pipe-makers who have gone on to…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Georg Jensen was a Danish pipe company founded by Per Jensen Sr. in 1954. Along with Bari, Kriswill, and Stanwell, Georg Jensen was one of the preeminent makes behind the international proliferation of ‘Danish’ style pipes in the second half of the 20th century. A family business, the reins of Georg Jensen were later passed…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Chacom is one of France’s most historic and iconic makes. Its founders, the Comoy family, began their career as boxwood pipe-makers in the early 1800s, before briar had even been discovered, with Henri Comoy (of Comoy’s fame) emigrating to England in 1879 and founding the country’s first briar pipe factory. In 1922, Henri and his…
Ryan Alden is an artisan pipe-maker from Texas in the United States. Something of a renaissance man, Alden is not only an extremely talented pipe-maker, but also someone trained in fine arts and other crafts, such as painting, sculpture, ceramics, and leather-working. For us in the pipe world, however, it is his hand made smoking…
Tendi is the name used by Graziano Tendi, an artisan pipe-maker from Italy. Tendi became enamored with tobacco pipes as a teenager, before beginning to collect and restore them. After developing his restoration skills, Tendi turned his attention to making his own pipes, which he has continued to do for the last ten years. While…
WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish…
DiMonte is an American make with a somewhat complicated history. To cut a long story short: in 1919, the Arlington Briar Pipe Corporation was founded in Brooklyn, New York. ABPC made pipes under the name of Arlington Briar Pipe Works, producing various makes for their own brand, and for tobacconists such as the Wilke Pipe…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Chacom is one of France’s most historic and iconic makes. Its founders, the Comoy family, began their career as boxwood pipe-makers in the early 1800s, before briar had even been discovered, with Henri Comoy (of Comoy’s fame) emigrating to England in 1879 and founding the country’s first briar pipe factory. In 1922, Henri and his…
Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. As explained in the MBSD guide on dating Barling…
Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. As you will be able to discover from MBSD’s…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Astleys was one of London’s most historic pipe and tobacco shops. Like many pipe tobacconists, its owners had pipes made specially to be sold under the shop’s name. Astleys pipes, however, were made by some of the premier pipe manufacturers and artisans in the UK, such as Dunhill, Charatan, Les Wood, and Ken Barnes and…
WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Weber Pipe Co. was a major American pipe company established by German immigrant Carl B. Weber in 1938, also known for writing the book Weber’s Guide to Pipes and Pipe Smoking. In addition to manufacturing Weber pipes, WPC also manufactured Jobey pipes and contracted Karl Erik to produce the Jobey Dansk line during the Danish pipe…
WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon…
Pipe Tristan is the name used by French artisan Tristan Lefebvre. Lefebvre is part of a new wave of up-and-coming hand made pipe carvers from the birthplace of briar, following in the footsteps of figures such as Alain Albuisson, Paul Lanier, and Pierre Morel Sr and Jr. Lefebvre credits a wide range of influences upon…
Like all System pipes, the Deluxe System incorporates Charles Peterson’s patented System design, only elevated through bowls of the finest grain, sterling silver mounts, and space-fitting stems with a traditional chimneys. This classic XL5s Bell/Calabash shape, an enlarged version of an iconic Peterson silhouette, has earned the manufacturer’s prestigious “PSB” stamp, denoting sandblasts of exceptional…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
Ashton is an English pipe brand created by William Ashton Taylor, a former Dunhill pipe-maker who left Dunhill in the 1980s to make pipes under his own name. Along with other pipe-makers such as Ken Barnes and Barry Jones of James Upshall and Les Wood of Ferndown, Ashton emerged as part of a new wave…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. For those that don’t know, Barling pipes can be…
Weber Pipe Co. was a major American pipe company established by German immigrant Carl B. Weber in 1938, also known for writing the book Weber’s Guide to Pipes and Pipe Smoking. In addition to manufacturing Weber pipes, WPC also manufactured Jobey pipes and contracted Karl Erik to produce the Jobey Dansk line during the Danish…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker most associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century, who opened factories…
‘Primo’ pipes are something of a mystery. To my knowledge, there are two significant pipe-makers in recorded history to have been called ‘Primo.’ The first, was the Italian Primo Soriani, who was something of a mentor figure for Bruno Sordini of Ser Jacopo and Don Carlos. The other is Primo Polidori, who was an Italian-American…
Jared Coles is a North American pipe-maker based in California. Coles is one of the undisputed masters of the contemporary American artisan scene, but that shouldn’t be surprising given the teachers he’s had. A pipe smoker since an early age, Coles discovered high-grade pipes while studying at college and took up pipe-making himself in 2008….
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Torben Dansk is something of a sleeper in the world of Danish pipes. Originally made by Denmark’s Torben Hetler, formerly a Stanwell pipe-maker, Torben Dansk offered Danish-style pipes that were nonetheless their own, achieving a fair amount of success during the country’s rise to prominence in the pipe world. Later, the pipes were made under…
Comoy’s is a historic brand in pipe making, and possibly the most historic brand in the making of briar pipes. Though originally founded in 1825 by a French family from Saint Claude, France, production of Comoy’s pipes was soon moved to London, England, where it established itself as one of the quintessential English pipe companies….
Nørding was founded by Erik Nørding in the 1960s, and is one of the oldest remaining companies to come out of the Scandinavian pipe-making renaissance that began in the mid-20th century. Now in his 80s, Erik Nørding is one of the most experienced and skilled pipe-makers in the world, and over the decades he has…
Jared Coles is a North American pipe-maker based in California. Coles is one of the undisputed masters of the contemporary American artisan scene, but that shouldn’t be surprising given the teachers he’s had. A pipe smoker since an early age, Coles discovered high-grade pipes while studying at college and took up pipe-making himself in 2008….
Digby was a sub-brand made by GBD. GBD itself was founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, before the brand was bought by English company Oppenheimer at the beginning of the 20th century. Retaining the name, Oppenheimer opened GBD factories in London and Paris to meet an increasing demand for the…
PapaBearPipes are made by North American artisan Tim Beaumont. Beaumont has been making pipes since 2018, cultivating a unique style that isn’t afraid to mix and match design elements and to create something completely out of the ordinary. While this pipe is nominally a cutty or anse, the shape is actually quite fascinating, and isn’t…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
PapaBearPipes are made by North American artisan Tim Beaumont. Beaumont has been making pipes since 2018, cultivating a unique style that isn’t afraid to mix and match design elements and to create something completely out of the ordinary. If you’ve followed Beaumont’s work before, you’ll know that he has a flair for the extravagant and…
Viggo Nielsen was one of the pioneers of the Danish style in pipe-making, founding the Bari pipe company in 1948. While at Bari, Viggo, his sons Jørgen Nielsen and Kai Nielsen, and budding carvers such as Age Bogelund Åge Bogelund and Helmer Thomsen, created pipes that would help set the standard for Danish design. After…
GBD was one of several prominent examples of a French pipe brand that, due to certain circumstances, became a maker associated with classic ‘British’ pipes. Founded in 1850 by the French trio Ganneval, Bondier & Donninger, the brand was bought and moved to London at the beginning of the 20th century, were it continued to…
The TinderBox, a once flourishing establishment, annually sold countless pipes, much like Ashleys. TinderBox collaborated with various makers to create pipes branded under the TinderBox name, including renowned names such as Charatan’s Make, Ascorti, and Mario Armellini. The specific pipe in question, part of the Exotica line, was crafted by the Shalom Pipe Factory. It’s…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
Peterson pipes generally need no introduction, but just in case you’re unfamiliar: in 1876, a Latvian named Charles Peterson immigrated to Ireland and was hired making pipes in a workshop owned by Frederick and George Kapp. After rising through the ranks to become head craftsman, Peterson bought into the Kapp’s business, which was renamed, Kapp…
Peterson’s St. Patrick’s Day series is the Irish marque’s longest-running annual release, a widely anticipated release celebrating the brand’s heritage since its debut in 1998. For 2024, the series comprises a variety of classic shapes, all with stylish mounts of vibrant emerald acrylic. Each of the shapes boast Peterson’s iconic system engineering and are fitted…
A resident of Indiana in the United States, Joe Hinkle started his pipe-making journey by teaching himself using hobby kits bought from Tim West. After a chance meeting with renowned artisan Nate King, who recognized Hinkle’s talent, Hinkle was invited to spend time with King at his workshop and receive expert guidance to further his…
Gregor Lobnik is a Slovenian artisan pipe-maker, currently living in Kamnica, not far from the Slovenian-Austrian border. Though Lobnik is largely self-taught, having first taken up pipe-making in 2003, he also happens to be good friends with the highly renowned Austrian artisan Peter Matzhold, who will likely have offered precious advice and guidance throughout Lobnik’s…
Martin Paljesek – known professionally as Jesek – is a artisan pipe-maker from Nová Dubnica, in the western region of Slovakia. Beginning his pipe-making career in 2010, Paljesek is good friends with the Czech artisan Jiří Maczko of Biftek fame, whose guidance aided Paljesek’s early development. Jesek Pipes would subsequently go on to receive similar…
In the world of pipes, Tom Eltang needs no introduction. I will, however, give one anyway, if just as a reminder. Eltang made his first pipe from a Pipe-Dan hobby kit at the age of 11. At age 16, he apprenticed under the legendary Anne Julie, before moving on to work for Pipe-Dan three years…
Peterson’s St. Patrick’s Day series is the Irish marque’s longest-running annual release, a widely anticipated release celebrating the brand’s heritage since its debut in 1998. For 2024, the series comprises a variety of classic shapes, all with stylish mounts of vibrant emerald acrylic. Each of the shapes boast Peterson’s iconic system engineering and are fitted…
Age (or rather, Åge) Bogelund is a somewhat less known carver from the 20th century Danish pipe-making tradition – though he was no less a master than his contemporaries. Originally, he worked for Viggo Nielsen’s Bari pipe company, being charged with making some of its higher-grade freehands. Later, Bogelund made pipes under his own name,…
J.M. Boswell is one of North America’s most revered artisan pipe-makers, with Boswell pipes typically selling out within minutes of going on sale. With a pipe-making career that started in the 1970s, J.M. Boswell has become the equivalent of a household name in the pipe world, both for his pipes and for serving as the…
Bari was a pipe company founded in Kolding, Denmark, in 1950. Along with Stanwell, Bari was one of the first companies that started the Danish movement in pipe-making, offering innovative designs and propelling its founders and carvers into celebrity status within the pipe world. Bari’s founder was Viggo Nielsen, whose sons Kai Nielsen and Jørgen…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
Royal Danish was a sub-brand of Denmark’s Stanwell company. Using the same shapes as the main Stanwell line, Royal Danish is now a great way for customers to get their hands on iconic Danish pipes that are no longer manufactured by Stanwell or by any of its sub-brands. What’s more, Stanwell sub-brands were of a…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Over the last decade, Sean Reum has emerged as one of North America’s most admired and in-demand pipe-makers, with his fans including, among many others, the one and only G.L. Pease. Having followed Reum’s career for many years, including catching a few glimpses of the artisan in his Montana workshop, I’m happy to say that…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Barling and Sons was originally founded in 1812 by Benjamin Barling and began as a family business making silver-adorned meerschaum pipes. In the early 20th century, however, the Barling family began to produce what the brand is today most famous for – expertly made briar pipes. This particular Barling may be large and long, but…
Peter Brakner (né Micklson) was one of the godfathers of the Danish pipe-making movement that emerged in the mid-20th century. He began his career at Suhr’s Pibemageri, a pipe workshop whose foreman at the time was Sixten Ivarsson. There he also met Poul Rasmussen, who took over as foreman after Ivarsson departed. Along with Ivarsson…
Ser Jacopo is likely the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe-making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes…
Zenia was a line of pipes made by Svend Axel Celius, one of the first generation of iconic carvers in the Danish style that emerged in the mid-20th century. Beginning his career under Poul Rasmussen and Sven Knudsen, Celius later started his own brand of pipes using his last name, while also occasionally carving pipes…
While not as well known as other Italian pipe brands, Barontini is one of the oldest in the country. Founded in 1890 in Tuscany by Turildo Barontini, the company initially only produced briar, but in 1925, Turildo’s son Bruno shifted the operation to making pipes from this briar. Later, the company was inherited by Cesare…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
The name ‘Parker’ is closely linked with that of Dunhill in pipe smokers’ minds and in the brand’s history, as Parker was originally something of a seconds outlet for Dunhill pipes, before becoming an independent product whose brand name was simply owned and overseen by the Dunhill company. In either case, they’re great, British pipes,…
Eric Klodt is an American artisan pipe-maker, who became immersed in the world of high-grade pipes in 2009. After studying with key figures in the contemporary American artisan movement, such as Rad Davis, Grant Batson, Nate King, and Michael Lindner, Klodt began producing his own high-grade smoking pipes, each inflected with the skills passed down…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
Comoy’s is a historic brand in pipe making, and possibly the most historic brand in the making of briar pipes. Though originally founded in 1825 by a French family from Saint Claude, France, production of Comoy’s pipes was soon moved to London, England, where it established itself as one of the quintessential English pipe companies….
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
Celius pipes were hand made in the workshop of Svend Axel Celius, one of the first generation of iconic carvers in the Danish style that emerged in the mid-20th century. Beginning his career under Poul Rasmussen and Sven Knudsen, Celius later started his own brand of pipes using his last name, while also occasionally carving…
Peter Brakner (né Micklson) was one of the godfathers of the Danish pipe-making movement that emerged in the mid-20th century. He began his career at Suhr’s Pibemageri, a pipe workshop whose foreman at the time was Sixten Ivarsson. There he also met Poul Rasmussen, who took over as foreman after Ivarsson departed. Along with Ivarsson…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
The name ‘Parker’ is closely linked with that of Dunhill in pipe smokers’ minds and in the brand’s history, as Parker was originally something of a seconds outlet for Dunhill pipes, before becoming an independent product whose brand name was simply owned and overseen by the Dunhill company. In either case, they’re great, British pipes,…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Along with names like Barling, Charatan, and Dunhill Sasieni holds a special place in the history of English smoking pipes – one near to its very beginnings. So the story goes, Sasieni himself worked for Dunhill during its early days. But eventually he left Dunhill, having his own ideas about how pipes should be made,…
WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish…
Willmer and Sons was an English pipe workshop founded at some point in the mid-20th century and closed in the mid-2000s. Harold Willmer himself was the brother of Dan Tennyson, one of Charatan’s freehand carvers, and would, according to Ken Barnes, often buy bowls from Charatan’s freehand workshop, which would be subsequently finished by Willmer’s…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
LPI, or Levin Pipes International, was a brand of pipes commissioned by Barry Levin, a major figure in the American tobacco pipes scene who was, among other things, instrumental in popularizing estate pipes collecting. He would later go on to have pipes made for his company, LPI, by his collaboration in estates restorations, J. T….
Originally trained a luthier and then as an architect, Keresaspa is one of the most talented pipe-makers currently working in Iran. Equally inspired by Persian antiquity (including its remarkable architecture) and the 20th century Danish masters (such as Sixten and Lars Ivarsson, Bo Nordh, and Jess Chonowitsch), Keresaspa’s approach fuses the ancient with the ultramodern….
Celebrating the iconic Celtic harp, or cláirseach in Irish, Peterson’s Irish Harp series dresses pipes in a reserved, rustic aesthetic that’s marked by a walnut stain, a matching acrylic mouthpiece, and a gleaming accent of silver. Offered in either a smooth or sandblasted finish, these pipes showcase Peterson’s superlative silverwork, timeless classicism, and individualized style, as evidenced…
Frasorteret was one of the many pipe brands made in the workshop of the legendary Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in 20th century pipe-making, a movement that still dominates the high-grade pipe scene. By hand-shaping…
With a legacy spanning several decades, J.M. Boswell has solidified his place as a distinguished artisan among the top of American pipe making. Hailing from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Boswell’s journey into the world of pipe craftsmanship began in the early 1970s. Fueled by a passion for both art and tobacco, he embarked on a quest to…
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…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically…
Eric Klodt is an American artisan pipe-maker, who became immersed in the world of high-grade pipes in 2009. After studying with key figures in the contemporary American artisan movement, such as Rad Davis, Grant Batson, Nate King, and Michael Lindner, Klodt began producing his own high-grade smoking pipes, each inflected with the skills passed down…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
Jody Davis is a rockstar – literally. As a member of the Nashville rock group The Newsboys, he doesn’t have much time to make pipes these days, meaning his output is very limited. He’s also a rockstar in the pipe world, which makes the few pipes that he does put out each year extremely coveted….
Trey Rice’s journey into becoming a pipe-maker began in 2009, progressing in parallel to his undergraduate and graduate studies in architecture. As a result, Rice has an acute sense of form and function, which he has himself partly credited to his studies and work as an architect. He has a broad range of influences, from…
Ser Jacopo is likely the most famous contemporary example of high-grade, workshop-made Italian pipes. It also belongs to a very special tradition in Italian pipe-making, having been established by Giancarlo Guidi and Bruno Sordini after the two had left another great Italian workshop, Mastro de Paja. Together, Guidi and Sordini created a brand of pipes…
It is safe to say that Mike Butera is one of the most important figures in American pipe-making, or even in pipe-making, period. Butera emerged during the 1970s and 80s as a major figure in the new American artisan scene, having honed his craft in no small part due to his travels across Europe to…
To veteran pipe smokers, Dunhill needs no introduction. Beginning in 1907, Alfred Dunhill began selling Dunhill pipes at the tobacconist shop he owned on London’s Duke Street. Very quickly, these pipes gained the reputation of being the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of pipes due to how expertly crafted they were. Today, Dunhill is likely Britain’s most famous pipe…
Bjarne Nielsen was one of the towering figures of Danish pipe-making until his passing in 2008. As the founder of Bjarne, Nielsen employed talented pipe-makers from Denmark to produce distinctly Danish pipes and sold them to a devoted international audience. Among those in his employ were figures such as Mogens Johansen (also known as Johs),…
With a legacy spanning several decades, J.M. Boswell has solidified his place as a distinguished artisan among the top of American pipe making. Hailing from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Boswell’s journey into the world of pipe craftsmanship began in the early 1970s. Fueled by a passion for both art and tobacco, he embarked on a quest to…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
if you’re not familiar with the SON name itself, if you know anything about Danish pipes, you’ll probably recognize one of the names that it was an acronym for. The brand was created as a partnership between Aage Skovbo and (in Danish, ‘og‘) Erik Nording, but Skovbo soon left, with Nording taking over as the sole…
The Brebbia Duo Filter presents a captivating and distinctive handcrafted pipe hailing from sunny Italy. Despite its unconventional shape, it pays homage to classic design principles, enabling the simultaneous use of two 9mm filters. This innovative approach aims to extract the maximum moisture from the smoke before it reaches the pipe smoker’s mouth. The extended…
While Dunhill may be Britain’s most famous pipe brand, Charatan is not only older, but has the honor of being the first to have made its pipes entirely in-house. ‘Charatan’s Make’ referred to the fact that, at a time when other pipe companies were sourcing stummels and stems carved from other companies before assembling them…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
Originally a science teacher in California, Nathan Armentrout began making pipes in 2009 and has since emerged as one of North America’s most talented, high-grade artisan pipe-makers. Inspired by Denmark’s legendary carvers, Nathan’s designs continue the legacy of the Danish pipe-making movement into the present day and expand that legacy through his own unique interpretations…
It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously produced high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though it is sadly no longer produced, the Nonpareil (meaning ‘without equal,’ or ‘incomparable’) was one of Savinelli’s top lines, which…
Our best-selling pipes are the MBSD Meerschaum Deluxe series, known for their exceptional quality. Crafted with the highest quality block meerschaum, they are the best smoking pipes on the market. The patented Briar-Mortis technology has effectively addressed the common issue of meerschaum pipe stems becoming loose or misaligned. Functioning like traditional briar pipes, each Deluxe…
A beautiful bent pipe with a “calabash” like shape and a sandblasted black finish. Details: Length: 5.7″ Bowl Width: 20.2mm Bowl Depth: 1.8″ Weight: 1.5oz / 45g
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Astleys pipes exemplify the pinnacle of English craftsmanship, representing the work of renowned artisans from the British Isles. Astleys, originally a tobacconist, established a store in England back in 1862. This shop collaborated with some of the most esteemed pipe makers, including Charatan, James Upshall, Dunhill, Les Wood, and Bill Taylor of Ashton Pipes, to…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
Stanwell is one of Denmark’s most celebrated and enduring pipe companies, having been founded by Poul Nielsen shortly after the second world war. Over the last six decades, Stanwell has established itself as both a leader in innovative Danish design and for producing well-priced pipes with precision construction and engineering. Many of its designs were…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
A graduate of Italy’s prestigious Academia della Pipa, Michele Sottocasa has been making pipes for over a decade under the la Biota name. Prior to becoming a pipe-maker, Sottocasa trained and worked as a designer and art director, and la Biota pipes continue this drive towards a distinct aesthetic vision. The name, ‘la Biota,’ originally…
Astley pipes exemplify the pinnacle of English craftsmanship, representing the work of renowned artisans from the British Isles. Astley, originally a tobacconist, established a store in England back in 1862. This shop collaborated with some of the most esteemed pipe makers, including Charatan, James Upshall, Dunhill, Les Wood, and Bill Taylor of Ashton Pipes, to…
Just a really great looking pre-transition GBD. As a Collector, this poker is on the larger side and is sporting a perspex mouthpiece. Details: Length: 6″ Bowl Width: 25.1mm Bowl Depth: 1.8″ Weight: 1.4oz / 40g
Stanwell pipes have a long history, and Stanwell is one of the most important institutions in all of Danish pipe-making. Perhaps the most pivotal moment in the history of Stanwell pipes was the meeting of owner Poul Stanwell and legendary Danish master carver Sixten Ivarsson. Between the 1950s and the 1990s, Ivarsson created many iconic…
Peterson’s 125th Anniversary Premier System pipes pay homage to 125 years of Charles Peterson’s final patent. These Premier System pipes highlight all of his innovative feats of engineering with top-notch historical accuracy, elevated through select-quality bowls and fitments of semi-precious metals, making these anniversary pipes all the more collectible for Peterson enthusiasts. A vulcanite P-Lip…
This French Comoy’s Bulldog pipe beautifully combines a cheerful and refined appearance. Its slight forward lean suggests a sense of motion, while its strong lines in the transition and shank highlight its sturdy structure, emphasizing the shape’s robustness. The warm auburn sandblast finish reveals attractive grain patterns on the stummel. Details: Length: 5.7″ Bowl…
Astley pipes exemplify the pinnacle of English craftsmanship, representing the work of renowned artisans from the British Isles. Astley, originally a tobacconist, established a store in England back in 1862. This shop collaborated with some of the most esteemed pipe makers, including Charatan, James Upshall, Dunhill, Les Wood, and Bill Taylor of Ashton Pipes, to…
Boasting more than two decades of aging on the briar, Astley pipes exemplify the pinnacle of English craftsmanship, representing the work of renowned artisans from the British Isles. Astley, originally a tobacconist, established a store in England back in 1862. This shop collaborated with some of the most esteemed pipe makers, including Charatan, James Upshall,…
Giorgio Musico, a dedicated supporter of Becker pipes and the manager of the famous Carmignani shop in Rome, began collecting Fritz and Paolo Becker’s work in 1979. This passion led to the establishment of the Becker & Musico pipe shop in Rome and the creation of the Becker & Musico pipe, a collaboration between Giorgio’s…
While Ben Wade was a historic British pipe brand, for a time during the 1970s, production of Ben Wade pipes was contracted out to one of Danish pipe-making’s superstars: Preben Holm. Though he would tragically pass away at the age of 42, Holm was one of the pioneering figures in the ‘Danish design’ movement in…
This prince is just a great looking pipe. It’s sits well in the hand, and sports a large 24mm chamber! Details: Length: 6.3″ Bowl Width: 23.9mm Bowl Depth: 1.4″ Weight: 2.1oz / 60g
This substantial briar pipe hails from the renowned Danish pipe manufacturer, Bari. The “Wiking” series by Bari is highly coveted for its impressive dimensions and distinctive design. This particular specimen features an elegant vulcanite stem. Details: Length: 8.3″ Bowl Width: 26.1mm Bowl Depth: 2.5″ Weight: 5.8oz / 164g
We’re excited to be listing a large collection of Astleys in the coming weeks. This is the first of 33. The ring grain is stunning. Astleys stocked pipes in sizes 1-6. We think this Dubin would fit into the size 5 or 6 size chart. It’s in near perfect condition, and only been smoked a…
For the Christmas season, pipe makers often release special pipes with a shared theme, finish, or color palette. This tradition is well-known among historic manufacturers. However, artisan carvers rarely participate due to the time and effort required for each handmade pipe and stem, making it impractical for multiple yearly releases. In an exceptional gesture, Micah…
I always love running across a Nording that isn’t a traditional freehand. This straight brandy is adorned with a sterling silver band, giving it a sleek appearance. Details: Length: 5.7″ Bowl Width: 21.3mm Bowl Depth: 1.8″ Weight: 2.5oz / 72g
This delightful straight Bulldog by the esteemed French brand Comoy’s beautifully marries a sense of playfulness with an inherent elegance. Its slight forward tilt imparts a subtle hint of dynamism, while the well-defined lines of the transition and shank provide a sturdy base that highlights the shape’s inherent strength. The rich auburn sandblast finish gracefully…
This is a really handsome pipe! Ser Jacapo makes some of the finest Italian pipes on the market. This lovat came to us from a customer who is fine tuning his rotation and wanted to part with some of his pipes. Luckily, he took really great care of his pipes. The original sleeve also comes…
We recently acquired this Morgan Pipes Workshop from a customer who wanted to narrow down his rotation. It’s been well taken care of and will serve it’s new owner well. Morgan Pipes, and Chris in particular crafts really nice pipes. The Workshop model is made in collaboration with Sean Reum. Details: Length: 5.3″ Bowl…
Our introduction to Tim Beaumont, better known in the pipe community as PapaBearPipes, occurred during a podcast interview last year. Upon visiting his website to explore his craftsmanship, I was promptly captivated by his distinctive vision as a pipe artisan. In a hobby where establishing one’s unique identity can be challenging, Tim managed to stand…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
This elegant Rhodesian Is pure class. The nickel band and military mount are a great accompaniment to the sleek black sandblast. Details: Length: 6.6″ Bowl Width: 20.4mm Bowl Depth: 1.3″ Weight: 38g
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
Peterson’s Christmas pipe has been an annual release since 2009, comprising a wide array of the Irish brand’s classic shapes, all united by a singular finish and handsome accents. For 2023, the line is defined by a crisp sandblast that calls back to vintage pipes from the early 20th century, stained a deep ruby hue…
This square shank Rhodesian is gorgeous. It features a very precise sandblast that gives great depth to its warm brown hue. The highly polished, solid copper trim ring sets off the black acrylic stem This pipe is fitted with a delrin tenon for durability. *The pipe you see is the pipe you’ll receive* Details:…
The pipe you see is the pipe you get. Nothing fancy, but unique and gets the job done! Details: Length: 4.7″ Bowl Width: 19.5mm Bowl Depth: 1.25″ Weight: 34g Stem: Acrylic
Our introduction to Tim Beaumont, better known in the pipe community as PapaBearPipes, occurred during a podcast interview. Upon visiting his website to explore his craftsmanship, I was promptly captivated by his distinctive vision as a pipe artisan. In a hobby where establishing one’s unique identity can be challenging, Tim managed to stand out. As…
This Arbutus series features a high relief stain on wild grain. These have been sandblasted to be a little deeper than normally offered but then buffed to show off the crazy patterns. This series is fitted with a Cumberland acrylic stem. The pipe has been finished in pure carnauba wax. The 103 is a stylish…
A festive presentation fit for the season, the 2023 edition of the Saint Nicholas series elevates a range of Savinelli’s most popular shapes with a dark burgundy stain, concise rustication, and a mouthpiece of deep blue acrylic. A complex accent of nickel and white acrylic completes the aesthetic, echoing the look of snow and tinsel….
A festive presentation fit for the season, the 2023 edition of the Saint Nicholas series elevates a range of Savinelli’s most popular shapes with a dark burgundy stain, concise rustication, and a mouthpiece of deep blue acrylic. A complex accent of nickel and white acrylic completes the aesthetic, echoing the look of snow and tinsel….
Like a great sea vessel, this pipe will take everything you can throw at it. Details: Length: 6.2″ Bowl Width: 20.3mm Bowl Depth: 1.4″ Weight: 47g Stem: Acrylic
A festive presentation fit for the season, the 2023 edition of the Saint Nicholas series elevates a range of Savinelli’s most popular shapes with a dark burgundy stain, concise rustication, and a mouthpiece of deep blue acrylic. A complex accent of nickel and white acrylic completes the aesthetic, echoing the look of snow and tinsel….
A festive presentation fit for the season, the 2023 edition of the Saint Nicholas series elevates a range of Savinelli’s most popular shapes with a dark burgundy stain, concise rustication, and a mouthpiece of deep blue acrylic. A complex accent of nickel and white acrylic completes the aesthetic, echoing the look of snow and tinsel….
A festive presentation fit for the season, the 2023 edition of the Saint Nicholas series elevates a range of Savinelli’s most popular shapes with a dark burgundy stain, concise rustication, and a mouthpiece of deep blue acrylic. A complex accent of nickel and white acrylic completes the aesthetic, echoing the look of snow and tinsel….
This Savinelli “Mister G” is a straightforward yet elegant jaw-hanger pipe, featuring a generous bend that allows for effortless hands-free smoking. Its design exudes a restrained and masculine charm, characterized by the timeless combination of brass, vulcanite, and briar. Details: Length: 5.7″ Bowl Width: 19.4mm Bowl Depth: 1.75″ Weight: 54g Stem: Vulcanite
Of all of the Kaywoodie shapes, this is among my favorite. It’s defined lines and stature stands out. The relief grain is an added bonus. This pipe has been fully restored, so it’s ready to be enjoyed by it’s new owner. Details: Length: 5.8″ Bowl Width: 20.9mm Bowl Depth: 1.2″ Weight: 39g Stem: Vulcanite
Bones Pipes are pipes – Thats it – No fancy stuff… If you want a pipe to start with or just build your collection, Bones are the pipes for you. Toss it in a tackle box or a backpack and go. These pipes are, simply put, the absolute least expensive honest briar pipe on the…