Restoring a Gubbels Amphora 815 X-tra of Holland Poker

The next pipe on the worktable is an Amphora X-Tra of Holland which came to me via the online auction block in December of 2017, from a seller in Fort Meyers, Florida.  The bid was sufficient for the day and the Amphora Poker made its way to the For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY! online collection.  Gary …

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Bringing a KBB 1940s-1955 Yello-Bole Filter Brush Panel back to life

I’m glad to be back at the worktable after a hiatus where my wife and I traveled from Colorado to the eastern side of the US.  We traveled for 2 months putting 7546 miles on the car while pulling our small travel trailer.  The primary purpose of our journey was to visit churches which have …

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Replacing a ‘Shellac-Candy Apple Finish’ for a Machiavelli Cambio Ball of Italy

The next pipe on the worktable was part of a Lot of 4 pipes that were on the online auction block from Giussago, Italy, in January of 2017.  Three of the 4 pipes were similar in that they sported red, glossy shellac-like finishes.  It seemed to point to the affinity of the former steward’s taste …

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Rescuing a Chap Ecume of Saint-Claude: A Broken Shank and Meerschaum Lining Repair

The next pipe on the work table came out of the box with some obvious issues. The Chap Ecume had tape wrapped around the shank which is a sure sign of a crack or fracture of some sort.  It came with the ‘French lot of 50’ I acquired from a seller in Paris, France, in …

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New Life for a WDC Milano Genuine Briar DeResino Processed 18 Lovat

The Lovat now on the worktable came to me off the online auction block in January 2018, from a seller in Indiana.  The pipe was bundled with 5 other pipes and overall, a good deal with new additions to the online collection, ‘For “Pipe Dreamers” ONLY!’, where pipe men and women here pipes whispering to …

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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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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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Overcoming a Severely Charred Rim for an Unbranded Horn Stem Bulldog

The next pipe on the worktable is unbranded, but I’m 99% sure it is French made.  It came to me in August of 2018 from Paris, and I have called this acquisition the French Lot of 50.  I have only a few of this French lot left as the majority have found homes with new …

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