Pfeifenbox

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"I've been known to use my penlight"

Probably the world's best-known blender, Greg Pease is also recognised as a hardware expert - one of the most demanding pipe specialists in the international smoking community. His collection ranges from old English briars to avant-garde Scandinavian work, and he has even shown talent as a pipe designer - helping to create a new classic, Larry Roush's Pokerhawk shape.

Recently, Greg has been sharing his thoughts on pipes and tobacco in his Blender's Notebook - a loose series of articles appearing on his website. Displaying GLP's rare combination of scientific and aesthetic insight, these pieces will increase any connoisseur's appreciation of the hobby. But Pfeifenbox wanted to know something not covered there yet: How does a really fastidious expert assess and describe a fine pipe?

When evaluating pipes, which criteria would you regard as universal and which would you only apply to higher end brands - or those presented as such? Are there any universal criteria?

GLP: I suppose that there is a tobacco chamber and an airway that is connected to it in some reasonable manner. The pipe shouldn't burst into flame when lit, or fall apart while being smoked. There are things I expect from a 'good' pipe that I wouldn't look for in a blister-packed Medico. Of course, I do expect a certain level of quality in a mid-grade pipe, where fit and finish can actually be quite good. Stanwell, for instance, have a very streamlined production methodology that allows them to produce very well made pipes at reasonable prices. They're nearly always drilled precisely, their stems are well fitted to the pipes, and they generally use good briar that's generally well seasoned. They turn out about 350 pipes per day, proving that it's possible to mass-produce quite a good pipe.

It's often the little things that separate the top drawer pipes from the mid-grades. While a factory pipe can be excellent, rather than just good, it's something of a matter of chance. The artisan pipe maker, on the other hand, has much more control over the entire process. He'll select a block carefully, find a shape within the wood that will work sympathetically with the grain, and design and make a pipe specifically from that piece of briar. He'll also take the time to ensure appropriate drilling, fit the stem perfectly, and, in some cases, go so far as to polish the mating surfaces that aren't visible when the pipe is assembled. While these details may not have anything to do with the overall smoking qualities of the pipe, they indicate something of the care that the pipe maker takes with every aspect of the pipe's construction. Comfort of the stem is another important consideration, as is the way the stem is made internally, which, along with the drilling, can really effect the way a pipe will smoke. Fanatical attention to each of the little things increase the probability of a truly exquisite pipe emerging from that block of well seasoned wood.

Then, there's the finish. A machine sanded pipe will never have that magnificent glow, the chatoyancy that a hand finished pipe can have. The machine produced pipe will be coated with wax, or even shellac or lacquer, giving it a nice appearance when it's new, but as the pipe is smoked, as it wears, it'll lose its lustre, and become lifeless. A beautifully hand-finished pipe, on the other hand, gains richness and depth with smoking and handling. Even when the wax is worn away, or when it soaks into the briar, that vibrance will continue to be present. A wonderfully finished pipe develops a beautiful patina over time that only increases its beauty.

When I look at a factory pipe, I look at the obvious things, and to a lesser extent, the details. But, when I'm examining a top graded hand-made piece, I'm much more critical of the seemingly insignificant things. And, yes, I've even been known to use my little penlight.

To what extent do previous experiences of a brand influence your opinion? Conversely, how much weight does a single pipe carry in your estimation of a carver's work?

GLP: It's impossible to establish a line based on a single point. One example can be exquisite, while the majority of a maker's output could be fairly pedestrian. I think it's necessary to look at a body of work to establish any sort of meaningful evaluation of an artist's work, no matter what the medium. I look to see some sort of artistic thread that ties the work together, a recognizable style. This doesn't mean that I hope to like everything that a maker produces, but I do expect to see something stylistically coherent, even in the pieces I don't personally care for. I think any pipe maker can produce a fantastic pipe once in a while. It's the ones that can do it over and over again whose work really speaks to me.

A single pipe can reach out to me and really grab me. If I can manage to add it to my collection, it can become a cherished thing, but that doesn't necessarily imply that the maker's work is all up to the standards set by that piece, or that I want to get more, or that I'd even recommend them to my collector friends. When he made that pipe, he set the bar right high, and now has to reach for that again and again. The ones who do this, the ones that improve with every pipe, are the makers that really get noticed over time. This is part of the reason it takes time to be recognized in the pipe world. The hard-core collector wants to see some staying power along with excellent quality. They're not interested in the guy who makes a few pipes and then disappears. They want to participate in the maker's career.

Is it possible to use the same language when talking of pipes from completely different tiers? Many people dislike terms such as 'high grade' or 'affordable' - but can we really do without them, especially when comparing pipes?

GLP: We tend to be pretty casual with language, especially with words like these. What is affordable to one person may be well beyond the reach of the average guy. Price and quality are not necessarily correlated. The language of this hobby is often nebulous. One collector's idea of 'high-grade' might be 'just a pipe' to another. Honestly, I don't really like the parlance of pipe collecting much, as I think it tends too often to occlude rather than clarify things, and it can be divisive. I collect old GBDs, which are to many, just plain-old mid-grade pipes. But, GBD defined certain classic shapes in ways that had never been done, and they innovated many new ideas. These old pipes have a beautiful line to them, and are often wonderfully made from very nice briar. Clearly, they're not 'high-grade' pipes in today's parlance, but they're special, and mean a lot to me as both a collector and a smoker. I don't compare them to the work of Bo Nordh, of course, but I don't think they deserve the appelation of "mid-grade," either. They're really good examples of what they are.

So, no. We can't really use the same language to discuss the ultra-fantastic pipes, if we want to distinguish the qualities we seek in them from those we seek in less prestigious ones.

I am also not at all fond of the word 'artisan' when used to describe the great pipe makers; I think it connotes something less than what they really are. An artisan is a skilled craftsman, and it's certainly not a slight to be considered that. But, a great pipe maker is a true artist - one whose medium is briar. Certainly, their sculptures are meant to be used, but their artistry should not be minimized by putting them into the craftsman's box alongside goldbeaters and wheelwrights.

The real problem is in finding the right language to use. Words can indicate something of quality, but that's not really what we're talking about. Castellos are pipes of excellent quality, but they should be discussed somewhat differently from Kent Rasmussen's or Larry Roush's or Cornelius Mänz's work.

Grade doesn't really mean enough, either. A rusticated Roush is a high-grade pipe by every objective standard I can think of, except for use of grain, and even that is arguable - perhaps he did make the best use of the grain by hiding it behind his artfully done rustication - but many would never dream of calling a rusticated pipe a high-grade.

There's also the issue of divisiveness. I've gotten more than one collector tweaked at me for saying that I don't consider Dunhills to be high-grade pipes. I didn't say they weren't great pipes, but that they didn't fall into my definition du jour of high-grade. We really do need more meaningful words to discuss this stuff unless we're willing to keep the conversations context sensitive. We need to be able to reach outside of the particular boundaries, however artificial they are, and talk about things in a more general sense. I don't know, Martin. I think we're hopelessly lost in our lingo.

Sorry if I'm raising more questions than I'm answering on this one.

Finally, you sometimes receive work from novice carvers. How do you go about assessing potential?

GLP: That's a difficult one. I nearly want to cop out and say that it's just a feeling, and that's probably at least partially true. There is a soon to be unveiled US maker whose first pipes were clearly not where they needed to be for him to be a pro, but there was something about them, and something about the way he discussed them, that showed amazing promise. It was clear that his hands didn't quite meet his mind yet, and he needed to work on some skills. But, the guy is dedicated and talented, and it's been amazing to watch his progress. He's taking his time to learn to do things right, and it's paying off for him. I'm really impressed with his latest work, and think he's got a great future.

A lot of it goes back to that body of work thing. One pipe don't make no show. When I can see a few pieces, I can get an idea both for where someone is, and for where they might be going. It's especially useful to see some sort of progress in the work. I think that's when you can really start to see where a maker is going. Some plateau, and some just keep reaching farther beyond their current limitations. It's the guys who reach, who always seem to be striving for something more who seem to have the real potential.

I was recently looking at a photo of an unfinished piece by a new maker, and got the impression he was being overly cautious. I called him up, told him so, and suggested he really pull out the stops and go for it. I think he had a couple of drinks, and went to work. A few days later, he sent me a photo of the finished pipe. It was fantastic! Where he had been restrained before, he let loose. He's got it in him - he just needed someone to say the right words to get him to take the chance.

Of course, failing this, there's always the OUIJA board or the crystal ball...

(January 27, 2004)

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