Gray Mountain Magnum Freehand Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked [SOLD]

Description

Gray Mountain pipes were made by Mark Gradberg, an American artisan from Kankakee, Illinois. Gradberg began pipe-making as a hobbyist in 1995; in 1998, he took on the craft in a professional capacity. The Gray Mountain moniker was derived from Gradberg’s surname and Swedish ancestry, with Gradberg having been told by his grandfather that this name was Swedish for “Gray Mountain.” Gradberg’s pipes were typically freehands in the American style, with comparisons that could be drawn with those of Tim West, Randy Wiley, or Jack Weinberger. Gradberg passed away in 2018.

Mark Gradberg’s pipes are not easy to find. And, as a rule of thumb, if a pipe is difficult to find, it’s even harder to find unsmoked. I was very pleased, therefore, to have this Gray Mountain land on my desk, in the same state as the day it was made. It’s a very large pipe, and an extravagant one at that, but Gradberg made sure to keep the design functional, as well as nice to look at. The pipe has been carved to preserve as much of the natural, vertical straight grain and outer burl of the plateau briar used, but Gradberg also managed to sneak in a very handy thumb hole at the back, allowing for an easier grip during use.

As mentioned, this pipe is completely unsmoked. Having come to us via our trade-in program from a collector’s estate, the pipe’s original sleeve was also provided.

 

Details:

Length: 8.5″ / 215.9mm

Bowl Width: 0.86 / 21.84mm

Bowl Depth: 2.29″ / 58.16mm

Weight: 4.0oz / 114g