Discovering the Minnesota story of a Herter’s Anglers Pipe Made in England 147 Billiard

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 …

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The Last Gift From Bulgaria – An Unexpected Repair of a Meerschaum-lining with an Old Time Recipe

It has been fun and a privilege to restore pipes commissioned by Justin which he chose as gifts for 3 good friend in his church home group and his father.  All these pipes were ‘picked’ by me in August 2021 in the coastal city of Burgas during a visit to our former home in Bulgaria. …

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The Third Gift From Bulgaria: Rusticating an Almost Hopeless Lorenzo Arceto 8778 Bent Tomato

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 …

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The First of Four Gifts From Bulgaria: A Prince Amled Danmark Freehand Pickaxe

The next four pipes on the worktable were commissioned by pipeman Justin from the great state of Alabama.  Justin should receive a reward for being the most stalwart Pipe Dreamer that I know!  His fame comes from his pipe dreaming when he commissioned what I called a ‘Bless his heart’ pipe.  I would say, Justin …

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Refreshing a Sculpted Vineyard Slightly Bent Meerschaum

The Sculpted Vineyard Meerschaum now on the table came to me recently when Corey from Orange, California, reached out to me concerning a box of pipes he discovered in the attic.  The pipes had belonged to his father who passed away 10 years earlier.  He did not know that his father had smoked pipes, but …

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A Big-Ben Crosley Trifecta: A Blocked Airway, a Hole in the Heel and an Acrylic Shank Extension Rebuild

Even as I begin this project, I’m not sure if this Big-Ben Crosley is going to come out on the other side ready to go again.  It came to me in February 2019 as part of a Lot of 68 pipes from a seller in West Hartford, Connecticut.  My final bid was sufficient and the …

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New Beginnings for a Preben Holm Ben Wade Deluxe Hand Made Denmark Freehand

The next pipe on the worktable came to me from a pipeman in nearby Lakewood, Colorado.  I met him when I responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad for a Zero Gravity recliner.  When I went to his house to eyeball the recliner, I pulled up to the driveway and saw a pipeman in his comfy …

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A Cracked Shank Repair Brings a Comeaux USA  3-00 Canadian Back to Life

The next pipe on the worktable was donated from a pipeman who wished to stay anonymous and who appreciates that pipes that I restore help others in unfortunate circumstances.  My wife and I co-founded the Daughters of Bulgaria several years ago when we lived in Bulgaria and since then, now residing back in the US, …

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Revisiting the Provenance of a Pipe Pub Imported Briar Zulu

My wife and I have been traveling and it’s good to be back to the worktable.  We did a camping road trip from Colorado to Orange County, California, to visit our youngest daughter and her family.  As is our custom, we pulled our small travel trailer and visited many fabulous places going and coming back.  …

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Quite the Find in Burgas, Bulgaria: Resurrecting A Lorenzo Spitfire Goliath Oom Paul

This resurrection project cannot be descibed as a mere restoration.  It started in August 2021 when my wife and I returned to Bulgaria a year after leaving this our home of 15 years.  One of our special places we visited and a place of respite during our time in Bulgaria was a little lazy fishing …

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