England, 1960-70s As Pipedia notes, “G.W. Sims was one of the few English pipe makers who produced Danish style freehands carved from specially selected plateau briar. Mr. Sims willingly made pipes to personal specifications”. Today, we have the pleasure of presenting an example of just such work by the former Charatan’s carver and later an…
England, 1950-70s The New Era series has been a constant presence in catalogs and guides from at least the 1930s through the 1970s, during the most respected periods of the company’s history. Over the years, New Era pipes were positioned either among the top grades or in a segment well above average, meaning they were…
England, 1980s Here we see the exact same stamp, in the same font, as on other early Bill Ashton-Taylor pipes, carved at the beginning of his solo career in the early 1980s. Interestingly, this pipe is adapted to accommodate a 6mm filter — a rather rare feature for Ashton-Taylor’s work. Perhaps it was made to…
England This is not just a pipe from one of the highest series of John Redman’s London factory (only Redman’s Royal pipes are more valuable), but also probably the largest example we have ever encountered. A magnificent specimen — truly convincing craftsmanship! Pipe markings “JOHN REDMAN \ LONDON MADE”, “MADE IN ENGLAND”, “Special \ BEST…
France Imagine a monastery, isolated from the world somewhere deep in the mountains or in a forest. Time passes, yet old books and ancient ceremonies are preserved here, and a language no longer spoken in the outside world still resonates within these walls. Similarly, the Genod brand represents a separate and very old branch of…
England Thanks to the knowledgeable community of the Pipes Magazine forum the story of Abraham Taylor’s family business is presented quite clearly, although it is evident that the general outline does not differ much from the stories of other Jewish immigrants, such as the Bewleys or the Sasieni. The Taylors arrived in the United Kingdom…
England A worthy representative of the Dunhill family — a stylish, practical, and well-preserved bulldog, born in the Parker-Hardcastle house after 1967. A solid, reliable smoker, and one we can confidently recommend. Pipe markings “Parker \ OF LONDON”, “PARKER \ BRUYERE”, “374”Length 13.9 cm (5.47″)Bowl Height 3.8 cm (1.5″)Outside Diameter 4.1 cm (1.61″)Chamber Diameter 1.9…
Denmark A pipe made by Bjarne Nielsen (1941–2008), an outstanding Danish master and professional diplomat. Many pipe makers came from various backgrounds — engineers, telecommunication technicians, blacksmiths, and so on. However, it was highly unexpected for a diplomat working at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enter this field. During the 1960s and ’70s,…
Italy Experts at Smokingpipes.com suggest that Roche Briar is one of the many sub-brands produced by Savinelli, pointing to the similarity of shapes and the instantly recognizable rustication style. We also had the impression that today’s Roche piece and the pre-1970 Savinelli Capri Root Briar from our own archives are very close relatives, so the…
USA, 1970-80s American artisans from Kaywoodie have always delighted collectors with a generous variety of shapes and finishes — sometimes simply pleasant and utilitarian, sometimes extremely apt and thoughtful. And, of course, our today’s Ruf-Tone belongs to such the brightest and most successful: the artificially aged, contrasting finish combined with deep rustication is literally mesmerizing,…