Thurs. July 24, 2008
Recently, by chance, I was going through a draw of
pipes called "Miscellaneous English" and was impressed
by the quiet beauty and quality of those pieces. Dunhills,
of course, are in a drawer of their own, as are GBDs and
Comoy's, but these were not lesser pipes. Outside of
clever marketing and some luck, any of these other
brands that were produced in England During this era
could have been seen as highly collectible. I do think
that Dunhill's stems were the finest, and for Latakia
blends, oil curing seems to be a natural, but for design
and quality workmanship, I'm not sure Orlik or Loewe or
BBB or Ben Wade took a back seat. Looking at them was
a delight.
When Al Grosskopf came over for dinner the other
night, (Father Al, S.J.), he had brought along two pipes
that had similar classic pedigrees, old Kaywoodies made
for export, and thus without the metal fitment. One was
a Thorn, sandblasted, and the other was a Flame Grain.
Again, both pipes exuded a certain element that makes
people like Al and I want to hold and smoke them. So, we
did.
After dinner (a grilled, marinated flank steak with an
Argentinian Chimichurri sauce on the side, some roasted
vegetables and very fresh corn on the cob, preceded by
a Farmer's Market melon wrapped in prosciutto, gently
accompanied by some properly aged wine) I opened my
next to last tin of very old Dunhill Standard Mixture
Medium and we sat on the patio, although pipe smoking
is very welcome in my house, which is why it is called 'my
house, and puffed away, rather contentedly. It was the
kind of evening, spent with a valuable friend, we, none
of us, get to e xperience as often as we should. I hope
your summer is bringing you some of those lazy but rich
hours you deserve and need. We both know that they're
always enhanced by a good pipe and good tobacco.
Marty
The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that on which
one has not laughed.
~Nicolas Chamfort
With no more sign of wisdom than a beard.
~Lord Alfred Tennyson, motto for Mariana, taken from
Shakespeare "Comedy of
Errors", III, i (Vincentio, the Duke)~
Pure water is the best of gifts that man to man can bring,
But who am I that I should have the best of anything?
Let princes revel at the pump, let peers with ponds make
free,
Whisky, or wine, or even beer is good enough for me.
~Anonymous, in the "Spectator", July 31, 1920,
Welcome to Pulvers' Briar Web Site
This website is devoted to pipes and my enjoyment of talking
about and showing them. For your part, I hope you derive some
pleasure in seeing and reading about briar and meerschaum
pipes.
There are plenty of pipe websites and lots of good pipes other
than mine. What will distinguish my site from most of the others
is the willingness to voice my opinion in the relatively rare
occurrence when a pipe is not superior, or has a noticeable flaw.
Mostly, I'm pleased with the pipes I choose to offer for sale, both
in pipe quality and price. But please, look and decide for
yourself.
You will see new and used pipes for sale, the new often having
been hand picked and the used always having been cleaned
and reconditioned and ready for you to smoke upon arrival.
Please enjoy your time spent here today, and please come back
again.
I'm almost always happy to hear from you and to field your
questions, concerns, ideas or other input.
Feel free to write.
Marty Pulvers
|
|
|
