Cavalier pipes

mfresa

Anybody had any experience with a Cavalier style pipe, the one with the drain hole in the bottom of it?  Seems like a natural fit for an aromatic, "gloppy" tobacco, which I seem to love. Thoughts?

PappyJoe

Yes. I have one by Mauro Armellini that I found in a "collectibles" shop. I emailed a photo to the Armellini website and received a nice reply from Vilma Armellini. She said it was an original carved by her father in the 1970s. Yes it's great for aromatic and because of the construction I get no gurgle. The only issue is a pipe cleaner will not easily slide into the bowl from the stem so you have to make sure you clean the bowl good so not bits get stuck in the hole.

This is mine.

mfresa

A beautiful pipe, @PappyJoe.  Looks like bone or antler accents on the briar....
I will look out for one, but worse case, I will try, emphasize "try", to make one.  Saw a neat one on the web today, will try to post the photo of it. It doesn't have a drain hole, but if I make one, it will definitely have a drain.

PappyJoe

@mfresa - the stem and the drain knob are acrylic. The accent piece is bone.

mfresa

Thanks @PappyJoe.  I'm in search of a large briar now.  Will post the picture when I get this thing carved.  Wish me luck!

piperdave

I like mine the bowl is a bit smaller bit it will take at least 1 flake. Made by Graco. The bottom unscrews and will allow a pipe cleaner to go from stem to base. Sometimes I will cup the bowl and remove the base and blow through to clean out the moisture while smoking.

drac2485

I've been wanting one for a while but haven't found one of the quality that I want at the price that I can afford.

mfresa

That's the big holdup, the price. If I can get the holes drilled correctly, I figure I can make one for less than $50.

xDutchx

I'm not a huge fan of full bent pipes, but the cavalier shape and it's variants are one style I enjoy collecting. Here are a couple Cavaliers I have added to my collection. The Moretti with the Morta foot I still have in my collection, and the GBD Prehistoric Collector, I gifted to a fellow pipe collector friend of mine from Maryland.....

piperdave

@xDutchx those are both some great looking pipes. I like that the Moretti is a sitter on the bottom port.

xDutchx

@piperdave, Thanks so much! Yes the fact that it was a sitter made it a unique collector/cavalier, as well as the fact that the stem isn't a full bent like most.

mfresa

@xDutchx I'm getting Cavalier envy!!  :-)  Beautiful pipes!

PappyJoe

@xDutchx - I hope you've smoked those pipes. They all looked unsmoked in the photo and that would be a shame.

xDutchx

Thanks for the comments guys! The Moretti remains unsmoked, due to the fact that I'm not really into heavy pipes. The GBD looked like it was smoked only once, and was a fantastic deal and easy restoration. The seller on ebay believed that the rondell was missing, but in fact, it was terribly oxidized along with the stem. If I am not mistaken, Al hasn't smoked it yet, and told me he always gets questions and comments about it's unique appearance, anytime someone browses his pipe collection. When a non pipe smoker inquires about a particular pipe in a pipe collectors collection, I think that says a lot about the pipes ability to inspire curiosity.

I have another smooth GBD almost identical to the Prehistoric, however I don't have pics handy. With grace, I spilt a bottle of Four Roses small batch into my previous laptop, and now I need to buy a hard drive dock to retrieve those pics. Hopefully I will be able to have some luck, and I will be able to post up a few pics in the near future.

In the meantime, here is a little eye candy for the Cavalier/Collector admirers. If I remember correctly, this is one of Chris Askwith's Cavalier's, a Morta with Cumberland stem that is absolutely gorgeous. I would love to add one just like this to my collection.

mfresa

I just snagged this one off of Ebay.  Couldn't resist at a good price and looks to be in good shape.  Wife will forgive me later....

piperdave

@mfresa That is one nice looking pipe. It looks brand new. I like the grain on the bowl and stem almost like a flame on one side then to a birds eye on the other.

PappyJoe

Having pipes like that and not smoking them is like have a beautiful.... Corvette in the garage and not driving it. (I deleted the beautiful girlfriend analogy)

mfresa

I plan on enjoying lots of aromatics in this one.

xDutchx

@mfresa, any pipe that is stamped "made in England," always gets my attention, but a Cavalier made in England is icing on the cake! I'm sure you are going to enjoy that one!

mfresa

@xDutchx, the ad says this one was made before WWII, so I will look after it carefully.

mfresa

The pipe got here today, I'm speechless.  It is a 'ting of beauty, a wonder to behold, a joy forever.... I think I'm gonna cry.

xDutchx

@mfresa, Does your wife know that the current exchange rate is 3 pairs of new shoes for every new pipe. If not, you should probably take TPL off your favorites list, and just discreetly type in the url and delete your tracks when you log out. :^)

mfresa

@xDutchx, that's exactly what I do.  She has caught me a couple of times and I feel like I'm cheating on her!!  But she gets good Valentine's day presents...

xDutchx

@mfresa, as long as you add a coveted pipe to your collection, the rest will work itself out! LoL

PappyJoe

When it comes to pipes, self-discipline is self-preservation. I have the self-discipline to limit my buying of new, unsmoked pipes to one or two a year. 

That doesn't include winning the occasional new pipe during long-smoke competitions or from pipe smoking forums. It also doesn't include estate pipes I stumble across while browsing antique/collectible shops with her. 

I don't hide my participations in TPL or other pipe forums from her either. They are not illegal and are not morally wrong.

xDutchx

@PappyJoe, I was being facetious. LoL

Seriously though, at some point, the wife or significant other will ask the eternal question, "How many pipes do you need?"

That is when the educated pipe smoker can respond with intelligent answers, concerning pipe geometry and engineering, quality of briar, as well as pipe collecting for posterity. The reality is, someone has to take it upon themselves to be the caretaker of these fine pieces, for the benefit of future generations.

Sometimes, the yard doesn't get mowed, and the gutters cleaned out, because there are simply more important things to do with our lives.

PappyJoe

@xdutchx - My wife doesn't ask that question because over half of the pipes in my collection are ones she found in the antiques/collectible shops and wee under $25 each. She also realizes that if I wasn't smoking a pipe, I would be smoking a cigar. She really hates cigars.

mfresa

@PappyJoe, - Exactly.  I gave up cigars for pipes and my wife is very pleased. She doesn't object to a pipe at all, especially since I like aromatics.  I will exercise discipline, as you say, so I don't get PAD.

Woodsman

Most of us suffer(?) from PAD/TAD, My wife doesn't seem to mind, but does comment on the amount of packages I receive.