Reviving a 1971 Peterson’s Dublin Sterling Silver Meerschaum of Tanganyika

The next pipe on the worktable is the first pipe that I am restoring from the Lot of 68 pipes that I acquired February 24, 2019.  This Lot came from a seller in West Hartford, Connecticut, and what got my attention was not only the size of the Lot, but also the meticulous listing the …

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A Surprising Bee’s Wax Result for a Kiko Countryman Genuine Block Meerschaum of Tanganyika

The next pipe on the worktable has some sentimental value for me.  I remember well seeing a trove of pipes sitting on the vendor’s table in the shadow of Nevski Cathedral in the center of Sofia, Bulgaria.  It was December 27, 2019, and two of my five children were visiting from the US with one …

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Rescuing a Lowly Mastercraft Pot of Italy from Basket Pipe Oblivion

After pressing through a boat load of flu of some variant, I’m happy to be back at the worktable.  Other than getting well again, I always enjoy this time of the year for football season – both college and NFL.  Since my team has gone on vacation back to Florida (Miami Dolphins) I’ve been pulling …

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Exploring the Origins of a 60s/70s ‘Space Age’ Pyrolytic Graphite/Phenolic Resin the pipe English Blue Bulldog

The next pipe on the table is a quintessential ‘60s/70s’ Flower Power pipe – at least that’s the vibe I get looking at it.  It came to me in September 2017 from a seller in Georgetown, Texas.  The seller was from a non-profit called the ‘Caring Place’ that sells things to help needy folks in …

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Refreshing a Striking W.Ø. Larsen HANDMADE Selected Grain 15 Made in Denmark

The W.Ø. Larsen HANDMADE came to me in August 2021 in what I call the Lakewood Lot of 14.  I met Ron in the Denver suburb of Lakewood when I went to his house to purchase a Zero Gravity reclining lawn chair.  When I pulled up to his house, he was sitting in the driveway …

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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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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