what is your latest pipe purchase

[NeverBend]

@NeverBend: That is a nice Ser Jacopo! I am still looking for a billiard in smooth. Sold mine years ago and really miss it.

Hi Tab,

I created the Renaissance Series in 1984. The standards were, to my knowledge, as strict as any pipe ever made. In 2 years less than 20 were made. I own 6, only 2 that I had originally and the other 4 purchased in the intervening years. Hen's teeth to be sure. Jacopo didn't like making them because they had a very low yield.

If you like, I can keep an eye out for you, and certainly I'll look at any Ser Jacopo you may be interested in. After Barling, they are, in my opinion, the best pipe and pipe maker and the gap (to Barling) is less than the gap to the next pretenders. Superior briar, craftsmanship, hand made stems cut from solid acrylic table tops, I love 'em as much as my Barlings, perhaps a little prejudiced because they were my line.

Jacopo and I battled about the Renaissance Series. I wanted perfect shapes according to the drawings I'd given them. They needed at least a little license so there were a lot of 'near' Renaissance quality pipes made in 1984-1985. As far as what to look for in Jacopo, I recommend staying with the Coral Dot era (1997 and before). Up until late 1984 they used a coral dot encircled in silver and later just a small red dot. Can't promise that every pipe will smoke well, but these were the most consistently high quality pipes being made in that period. After 1997, the silver "J" period, there have been complaints about the quality being inconsistent and that's my feeling too. Stick with the coral dots and silver/coral dot.

Regards,

Pete

[Haebar]

Snagged this at Mars Cigar a couple of days ago for my cellar.

Hi Tab,

I created the Renaissance Series in 1984. The standards were, to my knowledge, as strict as any pipe ever made. In 2 years less than 20 were made. I own 6, only 2 that I had originally and the other 4 purchased in the intervening years. Hen's teeth to be sure. Jacopo didn't like making them because they had a very low yield.

If you like, I can keep an eye out for you, and certainly I'll look at any Ser Jacopo you may be interested in. After Barling, they are, in my opinion, the best pipe and pipe maker and the gap (to Barling) is less than the gap to the next pretenders. Superior briar, craftsmanship, hand made stems cut from solid acrylic table tops, I love 'em as much as my Barlings, perhaps a little prejudiced because they were my line.

Jacopo and I battled about the Renaissance Series. I wanted perfect shapes according to the drawings I'd given them. They needed at least a little license so there were a lot of 'near' Renaissance quality pipes made in 1984-1985. As far as what to look for in Jacopo, I recommend staying with the Coral Dot era (1997 and before). Up until late 1984 they used a coral dot encircled in silver and later just a small red dot. Can't promise that every pipe will smoke well, but these were the most consistently high quality pipes being made in that period. After 1997, the silver "J" period, there have been complaints about the quality being inconsistent and that's my feeling too. Stick with the coral dots and silver/coral dot.

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

The one that I had was purchased in the early 90's; it was a smooth, chunky billiard, almost like a Dunhill LB but with a Ser Jacopo (or your) style. I sold it about 10 years ago and that is one pipe that I really miss out of all of them that have come and gone.

[NeverBend]

Snagged this at Mars Cigar a couple of days ago for my cellar.





Pete,

The one that I had was purchased in the early 90's; it was a smooth, chunky billiard, almost like a Dunhill LB but with a Ser Jacopo (or your) style. I sold it about 10 years ago and that is one pipe that I really miss out of all of them that have come and gone.

Doesn't that package just scream 1940s? The reason I like (and smoke so much) Gawith Hoggarth is that they taste today much as they did 30 years ago. Not Samuel Gawith or any other company I find to be as close to their roots as GH, who make no bones about buying tobacco from Africa but it's obviously very good leaf and these maestros know what to do with it.

Enjoy that Bird's Eye.