Fashioning a Replacement Stem for a French Gentleman No. 1 Rusticated Horn Pocket

This unique pipe came to me in what I have called the French Lot of 50.  I acquired it from the French eBay auction block and it has yielded many great collectable pipes for stewards who commissioned them from the For “Pipe Dreamers” Only! collection.  The picture below shows the French eBay seller’s presentation – …

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Chatel 2

A Special Gift: A French Châtel Sculpted Edelweiss Horn Stem Billiard

The next pipe on the worktable came to me in August of 2018 from a seller in Paris, France.  He had posted a lot of 50 pipes on the French online auction block that got my attention.  The picture presenting the French Lot of 50 would make any pipe picking man salivate.  What stood out …

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Repairing 14 Fills to Revive this 70s/Pre-70s Savinelli 4015 Slim Dublin

The next pipe on the worktable is another interesting pipe that came from what I have called the Lot of 66.  These pipes became part of the ‘For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY!’ online collection back in September of 2017.  The huge lot came from a charitable organization in Texas that has thrift stores where they take …

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Discovering a 1950s Brebbia Portofino 830 Rock Natural Pear with the help of Luciano Buzzi of Brebbia Pipes

After a 1 month and 9-day road trip covering 1400 miles I’m finally back at the worktable.  My wife and I visited several churches, family and friends in our trek that went east from Colorado.  We pulled our Forest River R-pod and camped along the way.  In addition to our visits, we were able to …

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An Amazing transformation of a 1946/47 Design by Curtis Pat. Pend. Metal

Over the years, I have been both amazed and humbled by folks wanting to help the Daughters of Bulgaria through donating pipes to The Pipe Steward.  In January of 2019, my wife and I were still living in Bulgaria and the mother of Bonnie, one of our interns helping us in Sofia, brought pipes with …

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Surprised by a French Made ‘Hetre’ Panel – Made of Beech Wood

First of all, I’m guessing that this interesting hexagonal Panel shape is French made.  I acquired it from a seller in Paris in August of 2018.  It came to me in what I have called the French Lot of 50, an acquisition that has produced several treasures for new stewards.  Most of the French Lot …

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Reviving a Kiko Countryman Genuine Block Meerschaum 7 Billiard of TANGANYIKA

The Kiko on the worktable came to me on a pipe picking expedition on December 27, 2019.  My wife and I were still living in Sofia, Bulgaria, where we had lived for 15 years.  In the center of the city is erected a majestic Orthodox church called Nevski Cathedral.  Just a small distance from Nevski …

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Rusticated Meerschaum Lined Billiard Italy

A Surprise Discovery of a Meerschaum Lining for a Sculpted Billiard of Italy

The next pipe is another treasure from the prized St. Louis Lot of 26 which has produced several pipes that have made their way to the collections of new stewards.  The pipe on the worktable is marked with an arrow.I have shared the story several times as these pipes have come to the worktable.  In …

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Bringing Life to a Whitehall Gulf Stream Imported Briar Sculpted Dublin

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, …

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