The next pipe on the worktable I’m calling a ‘Beehive’ for obvious reasons. I acquired the ICE AGE ‘Beehive’ from pipeman Ron in June 2021 who lives in nearby Lakewood, Colorado. I’ve shared this story several times about meeting Ron when I went to his house to purchase a Zero Gravity recliner he had posted …
Continue reading Diving into the Provenance of an Ice Age 636 K11 Italy Beehive Egg
This is the 3rd project for pipeman Richard, and this one is a unique one. The first two were repairing a snapped tenon on Richard’s Micoli and the second was a 1940s/50s Marxman Large Horse Figural that turned out great. The Vest Pocket Pipe now on the worktable came from the same Lot of 35 …
Continue reading Reviving A Unique ‘1930s/1940s’ Vest Pocket Pipe
The Bulldog now on the worktable came to me from a very generous donor who did the leg work for me. Nancy and her husband Mark are from Johnson City, Tennessee and attend Westminster Presbyterian Church, a church that prayerfully and financially supported our work in Europe for over 30 years. Over the years, we …
Continue reading A Pipe for Commemoration: Breathing New Life into an Unbranded Bent Bulldog
The next pipe on the worktable came to me as a donation from a pipeman in the Kansas City area. I appreciate that his hope was that the pipes he sent would help to benefit the Daughters of Bulgaria, now called Spring of Hope. One day in our travels, I hope to take him up …
It’s been a long road getting back to the worktable to work on the next pipe. I DO appreciate the patience of pipemen waiting for their commissioned pipes. The trip my wife and I finished the beginning of the February took us to Southern California where we celebrated Christmas and New Year's with family and …
Continue reading An Upgrade for a Whimsical Lorenzo Hourglass Matera Studio 807 Italy
The next pipe on the worktable came to me in November 2021 when my wife and I were on a road trip. As we were cruising through Des Moines, Iowa on I-70, we saw the sign for the Brass Armadillo – a huge antique mall. We decided to stop and see what treasures we could …
Continue reading New Life for a Barontini Lite 22 Italy Bent Dublin
This will be my last pipe restoration of 2025 and officially declared to be a ‘Pipe for Christmas’ because of the festive vibe it invites. The ruby red finish, the gold band and the black acrylic stem – all shout, ‘Merry Christmas!’ with promises of a bowlful of Christmas blend. My wife and I will …
Continue reading A Pipe for Christmas – An Yves of St. Claude Made in France 55
Another interesting pipe has been commissioned coming from the Lot of 68. I saw this Lot of pipes on the eBay auction block in February 2019 from a seller in West Hartford, Connecticut. The time ran out and my bid was the last one standing. These pipes eventually made their way to the For “Pipe …
This striking Preben Holm Freehand has been waiting patiently for me to pay some attention to it since September 2019. Most of the pipes I purchase go into the For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY! collection to help financially support the Daughters of Bulgaria, now called Spring of Hope. However, on this day in 2019, trolling on …
Continue reading A Christmas Pipe for Me?! A Preben Holm Hand Cut of Copenhagen, Denmark
This is the third pipe Justin commissioned destined to be a gift for one of the fellows in his church home group or perhaps to his father. I came upon these pipes from Bulgaria in August 2021 and why did Justin want these 4 pipes found on the same pipe picking expedition in the coastal …
The Pipe Steward 