Kenny very kindly sent us a photo of him enjoying his BOB hand made pipe - the BOB Iceaxe.

The Quality of the Briar

When we started making our own pipes last year John and I decided to leave some of the pipes in a natural finish, without stain.  This way our clients could appreciate the true beauty of the natural grain of the briar.  

Two days ago a client of ours who bought one of our pipes about six months ago returned to buy more.  He said that he was so pleased with his pipe that he wanted to buy one similar for a friend of his who had admired his.  On taking his pipe out to light up ( in the Pipery with a big notice on the wall saying 'No Smoking', number one in a series of notices to be ignored) I was amazed to see that over time the briar had taken on a beautiful deep chestnut hue.  I had noticed this before with old quality pipes like Dunhill's before the war that their pipes take on a glow, rather than a glossy shine.

Here are the two pipes.  His is on the left and the new one for his friend is on the right.  Over time that too will acquire the same deep chestnut glow of the other.

The lesson here is Quality Counts - start with the finest materials and they just get better.

The Individual Pipes

SHERLOCK HOLMES COMPLETE SET

1987 The Issue of the first Sherlock Holmes Series. Probably the most famous Peterson series of pipes.  All the pipes has XL size bowls and a sterling silver band with the Sherlock Holmes stamp.

The 'Original' series was introduced individually, every 6 months a new shape until the 7 day set was complete. The same procedure was later adopted for the next series, Return of Sherlock Holmes.

The first pipe in the series is named "The Original"-,and is a typical Calabash shape which has long been associated with Holmes himself. It is the bent urn Peterson shape XL11.
Next pipe is "The Baskerville"- Third is "The Baker Street"-,a large bulldog, Peterson shape XL13. Fourth pipe is "The Deerstalker"- a quarter bent bulldog,Peterson shape XL14. Next is "The Squire",- a large quarter bent Rhodesian. The sixth pipe is "The Professor"-,a large half bent brandy shape .           `The final pipe in this issue is "The Watson"- a full bent Rhodesian.

A special Sherlock Holmes pipe rack was made to accommodate the set.

Offered in cleaned condition for £750 or open to offers

ANOTHER NEW BROTHER

Welcome Brother Andre from Paris, puffing away on his Comoys Wimbledon he bought from me recently.

GIANT ANTIQUE MEERSCHAUM

This is one of the biggest meerschaums I have ever seen.  Measuring a massive 22cms from heel of bowl to tip of mouthpiece and standing 10cms tall this is just waiting to become the star of your collection.  It is made of a huge block of meerschaum with a brass chimney and cover and brass stem mounts.  The mouthpiece is made of copper, mother of pearl and horn.

It is carved with a scene of the little Dutch boy who put his finger in the hole in the Dyke and is dated 1721.  However that is not the correct date.  This was made in Austria in the late Victorian period and was for the many visitors who were beginning to sweep the city looking for meerschaum pipes.

A real collectors piece.  Looking for £115.00

STUNNING CALABASH

I've just managed to get hold of this stunning calabash.  Fitted with silver mounts and cap this is in superb condition

I'm looking for £100 ono