What Makes Your Pipe So Special?

[AJ]

While meditating with a bowl of Dockworker assisting me with the task I began thinking about my pipe collection and which pipes hold special significance to me. One came to the forefront immediately. It's a 1995 Comoy's Christmas Pipe. It's a full bent billiard that smokes very good but delivers an especially pleasing smoke when filled with my favorite celebratory blend Tudor Castle. How I came by this pipe has more to do with its place of honor in my collection than its smoking capabilities.

One day a few years ago during a time when I was experiencing a particularly bothersome health issue I got this package in the mail. When I saw the package was from a particular State I knew immediately who had sent it. I was positive that it would be filled with some delicious goodies and tore into the package with my excitement building by the second. When I finally saw the contents I was stunned. I could hardly believe my eyes. As I settle back into my chair I marveled at what I was holding in my hand. There was a beautiful Comoy's pipe complete with a stand bearing a brass plaque. The plaque read, "COMOY'S" on the first line and underneath this it read, "Christmas 1995". It appeared to be in unsmoked condition and no one has ever given me a pipe this nice before. It was totally unexpected and I was blown away by this kind act of generosity.

In months before receiving this from my friend my health issues were making it difficult for me to sleep and I was often up alone during the wee hours of the night. The BoB forum usually was inactive at this hour but there was one member that was usually logged on. It was my friend that sent me this pipe. He was at work but during the times when he wasn't busy he would be on the forum. I'd send him a PM and he would always reply. During this process over the coming weeks I learned a good bit about my friend. However he never knew how important these PMs had become to me. Being in a good bit of physical distress his replies were not only informative but they served to get my mind off my personal discomfort. My friend had become somewhat of a lifeline. Because of this he has become a valued friend.

His generosity is well know among the Brothers on this forum. He gives to us and he gives to his community. No doubt he is a man of fine character and deeply appreciated by all that know him.

The pipe he has given me get's smoked on his birthday, my birthday, and on Christmas Day. It's always filled with Tudor Castle and when not in use it has a place of honor in my home. It sits on the mantle above our fireplace. It's a special pipe from an extraordinarily special Brother. Like a good many others I owe you much more than I can ever repay.

How about you? Do you have a special pipe? It doesn't have to be special in the same way mine is but it could be from the way it smokes, looks, feels, or for some other reason. Tell us about your special pipe. What makes your pipe special to you?

AJ

 

[hobie1dog]

Is life great or what?

 

[AJ]

Is life great or what?

Oh yes it can be. Tell us about your special pipe.

AJ

 

[Lonecoyote]

I'm lucky to own a number of pipes that are " superb " smokers. All made from oil cured Algerian briar or Turkish Meerschaum block.
 These pipes were purchased by me during my travels throughout, and while living in Europe. Also the 3 original pipes I purchased in 1969, the first year I started smoking a pipe.
 However, I own 3 pipes ( use to be 4, one I gifted ) that were given to me by Master Danish pipe maker Bjarne Nielsen. The first pipe he gifted me was while I was living on the Island of ?? Malta ??. Bjarne enjoyed the cuisine at my restaurant and our talks while smoking a pipe, he decided to stay another week in one of the " FLATS " I owned above my restaurant. We became good friends immediately, shared a number of stories together every night after normal hours, like after 2:00am! We walked along St. Thomas Bay while enjoying a fabulous blend Bjarne alway carried or one of my favorites from Rattray's, Germain's or Esoterica. Living in Europe I always had access to the finer tobacco's at the time!!
 When it was time for Bjarne to head back to ?? Denmark ?? I knew we would remain friends and keep in touch. Without Bjarne's knowledge I was able to hide a gift in his luggage, and said a Prayer he would have no issues going through customs in his Country.
 The next day I receive a phone call from Bjarne, thanking me for the custom made knife I had made a year prior. It's one I showed him and I could tell he really liked the style and feel in his hand, his words to me..." if you ever have the time could you possibly make me a similar hunting knife ". 'Twas never used and I saw the joy once he held the knife in his hands, I knew that knife was going home with Bjarne.
 Roughly two weeks later I received a package from Denmark, and luckily it was sent as a gift, otherwise the duty fee's were astronomical at the time in Malta. Much to my surprise it was a one of a kind, hand signed Bjarne Giant ? Apple ? pipe with a full bent shank and stem. It's a favorite pipe I still smoke often.
 Bjarne's passion was pipe making/carving, nothing more fulfilled his life he once told me, I'll never forget that day! Bjarne was asked to be Ambassador of Denmark, which he graciously declined due to the love of his life...." making the best pipes hand crafted from my shop in Denmark ", is how he explained it to the people of his Country.
 The year was 1988 and I decided to visit Bjarne in his Country, he must have asked me 50 times before I finally told him.." I need a vacation badly and I can not think of a better place than Denmark "! He was shocked and delighted I chose to spend time with him at his shop.
Much to my surprise Bjarne had 2 more pipes wrapped in his pipe boxes and socks waiting for me to open upon my arrival. I've traveled much in my life, had the pleasure to visit MANY countries, but never have I enjoyed one more than my visit with Bjarne in Denmark.
 We remained good friends until sadly, the untimely passing of Bjarne in 2008. Bjarne had many friends, he had a heart of GOLD. He's missed by many and more so by me and his family.
           Rest In Peace Bjarne

 

[AJ]

That's a great story Ted. Getting to know the famous pipe maker plus being the recipient of his handiwork would make any of his pipes special. Thanks for sharing.

OK you guys, who's next?

AJ

 

[SpeedyPete]

WOW!!      AJ and Lonecoyote

Here I've got my two very special BoB friends together on one page, each with a beautiful story to tell :cheers:

Mine is a Sasieni Slendaline:

In 1978 I bought a Sasieni Slendaline in  Graaff Reinet. At that stage of my life I smoked cigarettes with my one and only pipe as a special treat, now and then. Tobacco was Holland House because it was the only decent tobacco available in SA then. It smoked so good because......I had nothing else to compare it with :lol: :lol:   I just loved this pipe because it reminded me of my stay in Graaff Reinet after I transferred to Oudtshoorn.  In 1983 I left the pipe in a rented car, never to be seen again.

Ever since then I've been looking for a similar pipe. They are very scares and I almost gave up searching for an identical pipe. And then, 30 years later in 2013, I found the pipe I was looking for on eBay. And it was in Russia of all places!  I made sure of winning the auction by setting an amount I knew nobody would be willing to pay.  

Since I've received the pipe, it's never left my house.  It's more than a pipe to me, it's a treasure which I will keep until my dying day.

 

[AJ]

WOW!!      AJ and Lonecoyote

Here I've got my two very special BoB friends together on one page, each with a beautiful story to tell :cheers:

Mine is a Sasieni Slendaline:

In 1978 I bought a Sasieni Slendaline in  Graaff Reinet. At that stage of my life I smoked cigarettes with my one and only pipe as a special treat, now and then. Tobacco was Holland House because it was the only decent tobacco available in SA then. It smoked so good because......I had nothing else to compare it with :lol: :lol:   I just loved this pipe because it reminded me of my stay in Graaff Reinet after I transferred to Oudtshoorn.  In 1983 I left the pipe in a rented car, never to be seen again.

Ever since then I've been looking for a similar pipe. They are very scares and I almost gave up searching for an identical pipe. And then, 30 years later in 2013, I found the pipe I was looking for on eBay. And it was in Russia of all places!  I made sure of winning the auction by setting an amount I knew nobody would be willing to pay.  

Since I've received the pipe, it's never left my house.  It's more than a pipe to me, it's a treasure which I will keep until my dying day.

Thanks Pieter for the great story. It's awesome how we can get so attached to a little block of wood.

AJ

We're waiting for the next great story.

 

[RDPipes]

What makes my Pipe so Special?

I reckon because "I'm Special!" .................

 

[AJ]

What makes my Pipe so Special?

I reckon because "I'm Special!" .................

No don't about it. Anyone that can create the works of art like you do is special and many others are taking note of your stunning work. Now how about a good story about that very special pipe you own. The one that has a special meaning to you. A man with your gift has to have a special pipe for inspiration.  The one that sets your creative juices flowing every time you look at it.

AJ

 

[RDPipes]

What makes my Pipe so Special?

I reckon because "I'm Special!" .................

No don't about it. Anyone that can create the works of art like you do is special and many others are taking note of your stunning work. Now how about a good story about that very special pipe you own. The one that has a special meaning to you. A man with your gift has to have a special pipe for inspiration.  The one that sets your creative juices flowing every time you look at it.

AJ

All that is a matter of opinion so far and as for a special pipe......nope, don't have one, they're all a little special to me, that's why I purchased them.

 

[Idlefellow]

It's funny how your "special" pipe may not be the most expensive or even the best pipe in your rack.  Mine is this gnarly old Hilson bent.  I was in grad school; my new wife and I were in a crummy walk-up apartment in a not-so-good area of town, living on student loans and my meager graduate assistanceship and we didn't have the proverbial pot to you-know-what in.  I'd seen this pipe and really liked it but at the time even buying tobacco was a luxury.  But one night I came home and there it was on the table.  I don't remember the price; probably not much by today's standards, but a lot to us then.  My wife was not - and has never been - a big fan of smoking, but she just said something like, "I thought you deserved it."  I knew then she was a keeper and a lot more than I deserved; 47 years later she's still proving me right.

This pipe has seen me through a lot of times - both good and bad - and I have to say I never remember it giving me a bad smoke.  I've got more expensive pipes in my modest collection, and some that folks would see as "better", but if I had to get rid of my pipes this one would be the last one to go.

 

[KevinM]

I have several pipes that might qualify. There's the Bewlay my missus bought me on our first Christmas together. Then there's a group of pipes bought when I was a young college asst prof and needed something to make me look older than my students. There's the meer my daughter bought me, because she thought I'd like it. Then there was ... Thing is, that's the very cool thing about pipes. They stay with you gathering memories.

 

[Richard Burley]

I used to travel a lot in the exotic car bizz, and I often dropped in on various tobacconists around the country, often resulting in a pipe purchase. Obviously I'm speaking of a time when brick and mortars were still in existence, pretty much everywhere. I can link most of my pipes to the location where it was acquired and under what circumstances, but I cannot really link anything "special" to any of them.

Except, possibly, one. I once gave up pipe smoking for small cigars, and got rid of my pipe collection of about 20 pipes. This briarly abstinence lasted for about six months, until pipe cravings returned. Think I missed the variety of tobaccos available with a pipe. Cigars have variety, too, but it's just not as pronounced. Anyhow, I kicked my ass for not retaining at least one pipe, just for backup. Cigars still occupied first place in my nicotinic depravity, but I wanted the option.

After having made the decision to dump all my pipes six months previously, it was with some self-embarrassment that I found myself entering the New York Dunhill shop, when it was still at Fifth and Fifty-fifth. My intention was to buy just one pipe to last me for the rest of my life, so it might as well be a good one. Seriously, I actually believed this. The pipe I walked out with--after paying for it, of course--was a group 4 Shell straight billiard that I have to this day. I consider it the first pipe of my second collection. It reposes on my rack both as a workhorse and a reminder of personal folly. It will be the last to go, in the event of my having a relapse.

 

[fishnbanjo]

I keep what I like to smoke so realistically it would not be untrue to say all my pipes are special but if I realistically had my back up against the wall to answer if I had a pipe that was truly special I'd have to be honest and tell you that there were 2, one because it's the first of this make I ever purchased once I got a chance to know the story of the man behind the name. The second would be not only because who made the pipe but because it was one of his personal pipes.

It's no mystery to anyone who has ever read my posts I'm a great fan of Becker pipes now in its third generation. What makes Becker pipes so special is that not only are they great smokers they originated from a gentleman I have a great deal,of respect for.

Fritz Becker was an Austrian Jew who left Austria just prior to the Nazi takeover and boarded a train for London England. Once in England Fritz sought out the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS now MI6) and introduced himself stating he'd fled to England and wished to help defeat the Nazi's, he spoke 8 languages fluently and would go on to interpret and decode messages for SIS during WW II.

When WW II had ended and Europe was in its rebuilding mode Fritz, an architect, went to Rome Italy where he established his own company and eventually met an Italian lady and married.

Fritz smoked a pipe and would often rework one to make it more to his liking and eventually would begin making pipes for himself and sometimes a friend. He was encouraged to make pipes when a friend showed one he make to a Tobacconist who would sell them in his shop thus the Becker pipe was born.

Fritz would have a son named Paulo who like his father would not only follow in his footsteps as a Pipemaker he would be revered by many for his craft. If that wasn't enough of a legacy to leave behind Fritz was also a Consulate to the Vatican on Jewish Affairs, his grandson Federico continues the Becker line today.

The second pipe comes from a maker who needs no introduction, nor backstory, although I have a humorous one about him I may share sometime. The Pipemaker is the legendary Bo Nordh, a pipe to own is often on many short lists but not only do I own one, it's one of Bo's personal pipes, so there you have my 2 and hopefully you can understand why I couldn't choose just one, warm regards and keep it smokey.
banjo

 

[Lonecoyote]

Banjo,
I greatly appreciate you sharing this story with all of us here on the BoB. It's stories like this one, about the history of a pipe maker and that the craft continues ON for generations, being handed down to other family members. Then that pipe ending up in the hands of a pipe smoker that appreciates and understands what it takes to create " The Perfect Smoking Pipe "!

If the day comes we meet in person, there is a story that I would share with you, many people are not aware of...Fritz Becker was not only a Master of his craft, he was a Hero. My Great-Grandmother was born in Austria ( also Jewish ) and shared a number of stories with her Mom, that was handed down to my Mom. It's one that's best not put into words, but it's a heart warming story that my Mom shared with me many years ago. It's a story I will never forget.



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[AJ]

Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to share your stories. Idlefellow, KevinM, Richard Burley, and fishnbanjo all of you had great stories that were so interesting to read. Your sharing these stories enrich the not only the content of this forum but they also enrich the lives of the membership because each story gives insight into the individual that shared his story. Thanks again to all.

AJ

We got many more members that have stories to share so let's keep them coming.