The next pipe on the worktable came to me in February 2019 in what I call the Lot of 68 from a seller in West Hartford, Connecticut. This lot has produced a trove of treasures for the For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY! online collection where pipemen and women commission pipes that whisper their names. The Rusticated …
Continue reading Renewing an Unbranded Seahorse Rusticated Volcano of Italy
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 …
After some time, I’m finally back to the worktable. The detour from the worktable came in the form of driving a 26’ U-Haul truck from Golden, Colorado, to Mission Viejo, California. My wife and I helped our daughter, and her family make the move to sunny Southern California where our son in law found a …
Continue reading Refreshing an Unbranded Italian Rusticated ‘Seahorse’ Finish Volcano
The next pipe on the worktable came to me from a generous pipeman, Patrick, who donated the pipe to help support the work of the Daughters of Bulgaria, now called Spring of Hope, which my wife and I co-founded when we lived in Bulgaria. Our goal? To help trafficked and sexually exploited women and girls. …
The next pipe on the worktable is a classic Custombilt, a brand that always recalls a campfire in a rustic setting for me. It came to me in February 2019 in a Lot of 68 pipes from a seller in West Hartford, Connecticut. This Lot of 68 pipes has provided and continues to offer up …
Continue reading Unraveling the Nomenclature of a Custombilt IMPORTED BRIAR Panel
The next pipe came to me in what I have called the Lot of 68. The Lot was acquired in February 2019 from a seller in West Hartford, Connecticut, and these pipes have been getting the attention of pipe men in the For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY collection helping to support the Daughters of Bulgaria, a …
Continue reading A New Beginning for a Tribune 909 Rusticated Dublin
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 …
Continue reading Reviving a 1971 Peterson’s Dublin Sterling Silver Meerschaum of Tanganyika
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
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 …
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 – …
Continue reading Fashioning a Replacement Stem for a French Gentleman No. 1 Rusticated Horn Pocket
The Pipe Steward 