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Pipes to fit their maker

Lee von Erck has been described as the most American carver in the pipe world. At first sight, there's something strangely historical and regional about his style - even though a closer look reveals unique designs emulating no pipes of any era or place you have ever seen.

Von Erck has been making briars for over 15 years, currently using wood from the same cutter as Teddy Knudsen and employing a secret oil-curing process, which is reported to greatly reduce breaking-in time. The honeycomb-like finish he calls 'morel' is achieved by blasting, though no one else can figure out how it is done.

Lee says he will blast a pipe "with as few as six small, pencil dot size pits" and adds that rough finishes may be the "beginning of a North American addition to pipe making." Beyond that, he finds style a difficult phenomenon to explain, as he comments in this interview.

You have been termed one of the few carvers whose style is easily associated with 'America'. Does that label feel comfortable, and if so, how do you explain it?

LvE: Yes, I am comfortable with a label that says my pipes are American. It is very gratifying to know that my pipes are distinctive and recognizable as mine. Explaining it is going to be more difficult. Many parts of pipe making can be taught and explained - but how I get certain designs is the part I cannot explain. Being comfortable in nature and natural surroundings and uncomfortable in an urban setting seems to be reflected in my work. To me that is the 'art' part of pipe making. The rest is craftsmanship and can be taught.

You are famous for making big pipes. You have also made quite a few medium-sized ones - but, somehow, they never get noticed. What's the special attraction of a substantial smoking gadget for you, personally?

LvE: I really don't see my pipes as being that large. Long slim pipes, yes. I think the pipe should fit the individual smoking it. When I walk into a restaurant and the hostess has to ask if I want smoking or non, even though I have a pipe in my mouth, I know I have the right pipe - it just fits the whole image. Actually, for the Japanese market I have been making very small pipes. But I myself would not look right smoking a pipe that size. If you stand back from a maker's table and look at his pipes and him, they match. Peter Matzhold's pipes look like Peter, Paul Bonaquisti's pipes look like Paul, Peter Heeschen's pipes look like Peter. The majority of pipe makers make a pipe that fits their image. Some makers let themselves be influenced by the current 'hot' shapes, which really just leads to clumsy attempts of mimicry.

Your road to more international recognition has been via Japan. How did this come about?

LvE: I had sold two or three pipes a month for six months to Reiji Hachiro of PipeDo.com, when he asked if he could distribute my pipes in Japan. Reiji had lost everything he owned in the last big earthquake that hit Kobe in 1995. He did not smoke a pipe for a few years, then started his collection again through the Internet, where he found my pipes. On my first trip to Japan I brought pipes from a number of American makers, and we all have been very happy with the way our pipes have been received. On my last trip to Japan, I brought a couple of other American makers' pipes with me - and again the pipes have been very well received.

Would a bigger slice of the European market make much difference to you?

LvE: It would be very nice to have more pipes in the European market, but it will be very hard to achieve as there are all the individual makers and the large pipe companies there. A very hard market to gain a foothold in. There are a few von Ercks in Europe, even a couple in a brick and mortar shop. But why would a European pipe smoker buy a von Erck when, within ten minutes walk from his house, he can find three each from Matzhold, Knudsen, Barbi, Heeschen, and the list goes on? Then there is the question of 9 mm filters for the German market. These large diameter shanks will not look right on my pipes.

Which young carvers would you consider the most promising worldwide?

LvE: The young North American makers are those I know the best, not having seen many new young Europeans. Michael Parks from Canada and Phil DeFant (Marchetti pipes) are the two that come to mind. Michael I've only met this year and spent some time with him at a couple of shows. He shows a lot of promise and is very creative in his thinking and design.

Phil, on the other hand, I've known since he was in school and a hockey player on a team I coached. I also went to school with his mother. Phil spends time with me whenever he can get home for vacation. I expect to see him over the Thanksgiving holidays. After every visit there is a quantum leap forward in Phil's work. Not only his designs, but in his overall quality. If you look close at Phil's pipes you can, of course, see my influence on his work. Phil was with me on the last trip to Japan and did very well over there.

These two are young North Americans to keep your eye on.

It's often been said that America lacks a formal job training tradition incorporating apprenticeships for artisans. Would you consider taking an apprentice carver in? Would such an idea be viable financially, too?

LvE: Yes, I would consider taking an apprentice. However, it would have to be a very special person. I have met one in Japan that I would consider. However it is highly unlikely that an apprenticeship will develop. Your question about "viable financially" is the real key here. It would be nice to have someone that would carry on the oil curing process and the sandblasting that I have developed over the years - but, hopefully, it will be many years before I need replacing.

http://www.von-erck.com/

(November 17, 2003)

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