Disasters happen and this pipe has made its way back to the worktable to see what I can do to help. My son-in-law, Niko, commissioned this pipe from the Pipe Steward inventory that he wanted to add to his blossoming collection of pipes. What caught his eye was the Stanwell Royal Guard’s stylish and eye-catching …
The next pipe on the worktable came from the US auction block in January of 2018, from a seller in Warsaw, New York. I was attracted to this pipe because of the distinctive sculpted rustication. The canted Dublin bowl and slight taper of the stem was also attractive to me. The final bid favored me, …
Continue reading Bringing Life to a Whitehall Gulf Stream Imported Briar Sculpted Dublin
It's been a while since pipes have been added to the 'For "Pipe Dreamers" ONLY!' online 'Help Me!' baskets. I've been pipe picking and acquiring pipes from all over the world and have grown quite a trove of pipes to add to the baskets for pipe men and women to commission. Some I have acquired …
Continue reading Adding Pipes to the ‘For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY!’ baskets
The KBB Yello-Bole Apple now on the worktable brings with it a bucket full of nostalgia for me. It was November 7, 2016, and my wife and I were in the States from Bulgaria for the wedding of our youngest daughter, Johanna, in Nashville, Tennessee. The wedding was the day before and we were heading …
The next pipe on the worktable is unbranded, but I’m 99% sure it is French made. It came to me in August of 2018 from Paris, and I have called this acquisition the French Lot of 50. I have only a few of this French lot left as the majority have found homes with new …
Continue reading Overcoming a Severely Charred Rim for an Unbranded Horn Stem Bulldog
The next pipe on the worktable is an elegant Prince shape commissioned by pipe man, Mike, who has commissioned other pipes as well benefiting the Daughters of Bulgaria – helping women and girls who have been trafficked and sexually exploited. Mike is the founder and administrator of the FB group, Brothers by Briar, and currently …
Continue reading A New Beginning for an Elegant Orlik Royal Sovereign Made in England 188 Prince
The next pipe on the worktable got my attention when I saw it in January of 2018 on the online auction block from a seller in Hillsdale, Indiana. Even though the only clue to its provenance was the stamp, ‘Italy’, I liked the oval shank and that gentle, slight bend that lends itself to the …
Continue reading A Fresh Start for an Unbranded Italy Slightly Bent Oval Shank Billiard
The next pipe on the worktable came my way as a gift in March of 2019. Nicky is the eldest son of dear friends in Bulgaria, Svetly and CC, who I’ve written of before. He is also brother of El, who lived with my wife and me in Sofia, while she studied Chinese language and …
Continue reading New Life for a Spanish Everest Master ‘Bing’ Billiard
The next pipe on the worktable came to me in what I have called the St. Louis Lot of 26 which my son, Josiah, discovered in a local antique shop. He sent pictures to me in Bulgaria where we were still living, and I liked what I saw. Josiah had one caveat regarding the purchase: …
January of 2018 was when I saw this Mastercraft Bulldog on the eBay auction block. The Bulldog seemed to have good ‘bones’ from the seller’s pictures, but the straight saddle stem was a bit out of kilter mounted on a bent shank. The stem seemed to be begging to be bent to the proper orientation. …
Continue reading Reviving a Mastercraft Imported Briar Bulldog
The Pipe Steward 