A Five-Month Adventure restoring an Exquisite Ser Jacopo Spongia R2 of Italy

This Ser Jacopo Rusticated Bent Egg came into my possession in a totally serendipitous way in June of 2021.  The world was still up in the Covid frenzy, and my wife and I were still transitioning from life in Bulgaria to setting up shop in Golden, Colorado.  One of the necessities of life I was …

Continue reading A Five-Month Adventure restoring an Exquisite Ser Jacopo Spongia R2 of Italy

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Pipe Dreamers!

I wish you and your family many blessings during this holiday season! During the holidays I am uploading a boatload of new pipes I have acquired in our travels and from pipe picking at antique shops and second hand stores. So check out the For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY! online Help Me! Baskets to find to …

Continue reading Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Pipe Dreamers!

Resuscitating a French-made ‘Pipe’ Dr. Geo DePosee Horn Stem Paneled Bulldog

The next pipe came to me in August 2018 as part of what I have called the ‘French Lot of 50’.  When my wife and I were still living in Bulgaria, I found a lot of 50 pipes for sale on French eBay from a seller in Paris.  What attracted me to place a bid …

Continue reading Resuscitating a French-made ‘Pipe’ Dr. Geo DePosee Horn Stem Paneled Bulldog

Christmas Tree Bound: Renewing a Stout French Made Pickwick Arms Bulldog

The next pipe on the worktable is a stout straight Bulldog.  It came to me in March 2016 from a seller in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.  It worked out well because the seller had two other pipes which I had an interest in that were also ticking down on the eBay auction block.   In the …

Continue reading Christmas Tree Bound: Renewing a Stout French Made Pickwick Arms Bulldog

Resurrecting a Venerable Medico ‘F’ Frank Imported Briar Apple

The Medico now on the table came to me from a friend and fellow pipe man Dave Shain.  ‘Shainy’ and I first met when we served together in Ukraine back in the 1990s/early 2000s.  Shainy has become a well-known and respected contributor to the pipe community and is known through his website, https://thepipery.com where he …

Continue reading Resurrecting a Venerable Medico ‘F’ Frank Imported Briar Apple

An Amazing Transformation: A Kiko Sportsman 543 Made in Tanganyika Leather Clad Meerschaum-Lined Billiard

This Kiko came to me in January 2018 on an online auction block from a seller in Hillsdale, Indiana.  I was attracted to it not only because it was a Kiko, but mainly because it was in desperate shape.  The leather had potential and hope extended to what I assumed was an intact Meerschaum lining …

Continue reading An Amazing Transformation: A Kiko Sportsman 543 Made in Tanganyika Leather Clad Meerschaum-Lined Billiard

Restoring a Gubbels Amphora 815 X-tra of Holland Poker

The next pipe on the worktable is an Amphora X-Tra of Holland which came to me via the online auction block in December of 2017, from a seller in Fort Meyers, Florida.  The bid was sufficient for the day and the Amphora Poker made its way to the For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY! online collection.  Gary …

Continue reading Restoring a Gubbels Amphora 815 X-tra of Holland Poker

A Daughter’s Christmas Gift – Renewing an X-Series/Continental Dr. Grabow Starfire Wire Carved Zulu

I love the Season of Christmas when most of the world celebrates the fact that Christ was born.  When I consider the shape of the world, and our prayers for the people of Ukraine, I am thankful for a reason to celebrate something that is good news.  The next pipe on the worktable was commissioned …

Continue reading A Daughter’s Christmas Gift – Renewing an X-Series/Continental Dr. Grabow Starfire Wire Carved Zulu

A Christmas Gift for a Blessed Husband: A Nørdin Made in Denmark Freehand

With Christmas soon to come, I have received commissions from loved ones of very fortunate pipe men.  This beautiful Nørdin Freehand was commissioned by Jocelyn who wrote to me with this request: We live in Butler PA, USA.  My husband, Mark, is an avid pipe smoker.  I would love to give him a unique, possibly …

Continue reading A Christmas Gift for a Blessed Husband: A Nørdin Made in Denmark Freehand