@motie2 Thanks Motie - what's the expression 'jack of all trades but master of none'. That about sums it up. This whole photography thing is as a result of this goofy Daily Briar Photoshoot nonsense. I thought it would be fun and hoped more members might respond in kind. I never had an interest in photography. And really still don't. And the camera I'm using is an older model Sony digital my kid bought my wife several years ago. It's so outdated we couldn't even get a battery for it at RadioShack. But I must say it brought an element of entertainment into my life that I might never have experienced were it not for a lowly tobacco pipe and my introduction to the Pipe Smoking Community. Why on Earth would I ever associate pipe smoking with photography? If someone would have told me someday I'd be running around the house grabbing odds and ends and start snapping photos of my pipe collection I would have thought them crazy. Now it's me who is crazy ... because that's exactly what I'm doing. I must occasionally look like a raccoon rummaging through a garbage can as I fumble around in closets and plastic storage bins in the garage looking for props to use. And my wife loves getting into the act as well ... making suggestions, finding trinkets I didn't realize we even had, and helping me organize photo shoots. It's become a family affair. Each morning over our morning cup of tea she'll ask me ... "What pipe are you putting on the site today?".
@ghostsofpompeii -- You used the expression <<'jack of all trades but master of none'>>. That's the way people in my "profession" think of ourselves at the outset, when we graduate. Our professors told us that our educations were, ".... a mile wide, but an inch deep." It was our job, they said, to go out into the world, and dig deeper in those areas that interested us, striving. as we went. to mend the cracks in Creation.
I'm proud to report that I've cemented a few over a nearly thirty year career.
By now you've probably noticed I have a affinity for Big Ben Pipes of all shapes, sizes, and colors. For the next two days I'll be featuring my pair of pipes from the Big Ben Jade Collection. Today's pipe, a bent brandy, is the older of the two and unfortunately a little worse for wear, as much of the actual Jade coloring is wearing away in patches. A while back I got an estimate to have it professionally refinished, and while mulling the idea over as to whether or not it was worth the money, my wife pointed out a beautiful Big Ben Jade in the latest P&C catalog for approximately the same price as the cost of refinishing the old one. So in the end I opted to buy a new Jade pipe, and either leave the other pipe to eventually transition to the natural wood grain that was showing through ... or buy some leather dye and try my hand at bringing it back to the original Jade color. So if and when that day comes I'll post the finished results. But until then I'll simply continue to smoke and enjoy the uniqueness of my Big Ben Bent Brandy Patchy Jade.
Today I'll be featuring the second pipe from my Big Ben Jade Collection. The pipe is a Jade #931 bent pot, and due to it's convenient size it has becme my 'go to' travel pipe whenever I leave the house. I automatically reach for it without a second thought. The pipe and tobacco pouch fit easily into a top shirt pocket without deforming the shirt with an unsightly bulge. And although the compact dimensions of both the Baraccini Pocket Pipe and Big Ben Jade #931 are very similar, the Big Ben looks and feels more substantial whereas the Baraccini Pocket Pipe has the scaled down appearance of a novelty pipe. The B.B. Jade has an over-all length of 5.5", bowl height of 1.7", bowl depth 1.2", bowl inside diameter 0.7", outside diameter 1.5", and the weight is 1.60 oz. In slight comparison the length of the Baraccini Pocket Pipe is 4.8", bowl height 1.3", inside diameter is exactly the same as the Big Ben Jade at 0.7", outside diameter is 1.3", the bowl depth is 1.1", but the weight variance is considerable, with the Pocket Pipe only registering 0.90 oz. From my experience, a difference of a five or ten minute smoke with the Pocket Pipe or a 15 or 20 minute smoke with the Big Ben Jade.
Unlike my older bent brandy featured yesterday with the black stem, the new line of Big Ben Jade pipes comes with a beautifully swirled green Acrylic stem. And as is the case with most Big Ben pipes it takes a 9mm filter - but smokes just as good or better without one.
Today's pipe is a very treasured Estate pipe I picked up a while back for a mere $5.00 at a local antique store. The pipe is a Tracy Mincer Custom-Bilt manufactured between 1938 and 1946. It was in pretty bad shape when I bought it, with a cake so thick in the bowl it would have been impossible to smoke 'as is'. What area there was left for packing your tobacco could scarcely accommodate a pencil. And the rim was so badly charred it spilled over the side as well. The over-all appearance was that of a charcoal briquette. But the name inscribed on the pipe was clearly visible - a pedigree worthy of rescuing. I accepted the challenge and lovingly restored it with nothing but hand tools, elbow grease, and literally spit and polish. And I'm quite satisfied with the end results.
The Mincer Custom-Bilt (with the hyphen) is a nice sized tactile chunk of wood that feels great in the hand, and smokes like a champ. I'm now 67 years old, and this pipe is one of the few things I own that's older than me yet still functions as intended. Imagine the historic events that have transpired during the life of this pipe, as well as the life or lives of the previous owners. And I can't help but wonder how many hands this pipe will pass through after I cease to exist? I'd like to think it would live on providing decades of enjoyment to future generations of pipe smokers.
@ghostsofpompeii -- You appear to have an almost infinitely creative mind. How long do you think you can keep what is already a most remarkable run going?
Since 1943 American pipe maker Dr. Grabow has been manufacturing affordable pipes out of their Sparta, North Carolina plant. And in that 70+ year span it's probably safe to say nearly every American pipe smoker has at one time or another had a Dr. Grabow in their collection. For many it was our first briar pipe. And because of it's inexpensive price and durability, the Dr. Grabow has been my pipe of preference as an everyday work pipe. This particular pipe 'The Starfire', is one of the larger Dr. Grabows in my collection. And before my eventual retirement this pipe was one of my work pipes, enduring years of harsh environments and unintended abuse - yet somehow emerged relatively unscathed. And with the exception of a bit of excess tooth chatter - which is why it now sports a 'softy bit' to prevent further damage - this pipe looks as great today as it did the day I bought it.
@ghostsofpompeii That is probably the nicest skull meerschaum I've seen yet. I'd like one myself, but the archaeologist in me keeps getting irritated at how inaccurate the skulls are. 90% of them have sutures running down the center of the frontal bone (the forehead). Adult humans don't have sutures down the frontal bone. Yours has the frontal suture in the right place. I'm not sure what the dimples above the maxillary teeth are, but hey, it isn't a replica, I guess, artistic license (just get the sutures right, please ;-) ).
My hope is to find a fairly accurate skull. In the Middle Ages monks and other thoughtful types would often keep a skull in their cell or office as a "memento mori" a reminder of their mortality. I'd love a skull meerschaum for the same reason. If anyone knows of pretty accurate ones, let me know!
@ghostsofpompeii - That was a Christmas present from my spousal authority unit two years ago. It was pre-colored but the top part seems to be fading somewhat. It does make for a good 1-1/2 to 2 hr. smoke.
@motie2 - if SHE puts up with SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) I don't see how She could be offended by Spousal Authority Unit since She is the ruler of the roost.
It's been said you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. But when that egg happens to be a Dragon's Egg, make sure Mamma is no where to be seen, otherwise the only thing cracking will be the sound of your bones as she makes a meal of you.
Today I broke my own rule by showcasing more than one pipe per photo shoot. But in this political climate where rules were meant to be broken I thought I'd over-rule myself and feature the remainder of my older Dr. Grabow work pipes in one session. The three pipes are the Golden Duke Textured, and a pair from the Sliver Duke series - one smooth the other textured. All three are excellent smoking pipes that I've had for well over 30 years ... and not one of them will unscrew from the body of the pipe. Oh sure ... they'll twist alright - but none of the stems will completely unscrew and separate as intended. So rather than turn and twist them creating more of a problem, I leave them 'as is'. Thankfully I removed the stingers from the stem well before they decided to seize up on me, and all were drilled perfectly so my pipe cleaner reaches the bowl unencumbered. So with a dab of Decatur Briar-Fresh Airway Cleaner on a pipe cleaner I'm able to keep the pipes clean and sanitized. And my motto is "never throw a pipe away as long as it still smokes".
Recently, I've been deploying, "Yahss, Queen!" It's apparently an old British servile response. I heard John Oliver (a Brit) use it, and thought it both funny and acceptably subservient.
For as far back as I can remember I've had a fascination with hot air balloons. And the movie that brought it to the forefront and captured my imagination was the 1961 adaptation of Jules Verne's "Mysterious Island". The harrowing hot air balloon escape from the Confederate prison, coupled with that rousing film score from Bernard Herrmann will be forever etched in my memory. To this day that movie remains on my list of Top Ten Movies. Hot air balloons have been featured in a number of motion pictures over the years including another pair from Verne, "Around The World In 80 Days" and "Five Weeks In A Balloon"; two Frank Baum adaptations of his "Oz" series of children's books, "The Wizard Of Oz" and the more recent "Oz The Great And Powerful; as well as a host of others: "Flight Of The Lost Balloon", "The Mummy Returns", "Rat Race", "Night Crossing", "Up", "Enduring Love", "Stardust", "Kind Hearts And Coronets", and "The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen" to name a few.
The day my wife and I walked into a little curio shop and happened upon this quaint hot air balloon dangling from the ceiling we knew there had to be a suitable place in our home to properly display it. And it was just as apparent that at some point in time the balloon and it's occupants would play a role in my series of photo shoots.
The pipe is no-name Bent Rhodesian I dug out of a basket at The Tinder Box many years ago for a couple of bucks, and it has provided me with decades of smoking enjoyment.
Back when I lived in ND, during the summer, they put up hot air balloons every Sunday. So cool: seven or eight balloons in the sky at once. You look up and it's like flowers in the sky.
In 1979 the artistic vision of director Ridley Scott elevated the now classic science-fiction horror thriller "ALIEN" from it's 50s' 'B' sci-fi roots to a classy masterpiece of the macabre. His directorial style coupled with unique state-of-the-art visual effects helped create a franchise that continues today. But taking nothing away from the talented Ridley Scott, the very heart and soul of the original movie owes more to the twisted vision of conceptual Swiss artist H.R. Giger, who not only designed the biomechanical title creature, but incorporated the same comingling of organic elements and industrial gadgetry in the hostile planet landscapes as well as the interior of the derelict alien ship. Giger's influence oozes on every frame of film. The fruits of his labor paid off as the movie won an Academy Award for Special Effects. His Hell spawn and sometimes pornographic imagery leaps from the pages of his illustrated books Necronomicon and Necronomicon II, showcasing this unique genius. Giger passed away on May 12, 2014.
The moment I laid eyes on this H.S. Studio pipe the interior walls of the derelict alien ship immediately came to mind. And I knew I had to have it in my collection. After three separate attempts on EBAY I was finally able to procure the pipe and have cherished it ever since. And as you might imagine I've christened it my 'H.R. Giger Pipe'. Today's photo shoot places the pipe in it's normal environment among the illustrations of Giger and an ALIEN horde.
Today's Daily Briar Photoshoot features the second of my four Meerschaum pipes, and probably the nicest in terms of detail and craftsmanship. Not quite sure who this gentleman is suppose to be - but he looks like one of the Three Musketeers. Like most Meerschaums in general they all tend to be cool smoking pipes. And the artwork can vary from crudely carved faces to intricate and highly detailed works of art.
Comments
Seconded.
@motie2 Thanks Motie - what's the expression 'jack of all trades but master of none'. That about sums it up. This whole photography thing is as a result of this goofy Daily Briar Photoshoot nonsense. I thought it would be fun and hoped more members might respond in kind. I never had an interest in photography. And really still don't. And the camera I'm using is an older model Sony digital my kid bought my wife several years ago. It's so outdated we couldn't even get a battery for it at RadioShack. But I must say it brought an element of entertainment into my life that I might never have experienced were it not for a lowly tobacco pipe and my introduction to the Pipe Smoking Community. Why on Earth would I ever associate pipe smoking with photography? If someone would have told me someday I'd be running around the house grabbing odds and ends and start snapping photos of my pipe collection I would have thought them crazy. Now it's me who is crazy ... because that's exactly what I'm doing. I must occasionally look like a raccoon rummaging through a garbage can as I fumble around in closets and plastic storage bins in the garage looking for props to use. And my wife loves getting into the act as well ... making suggestions, finding trinkets I didn't realize we even had, and helping me organize photo shoots. It's become a family affair. Each morning over our morning cup of tea she'll ask me ... "What pipe are you putting on the site today?".
By now you've probably noticed I have a affinity for Big Ben Pipes of all shapes, sizes, and colors. For the next two days I'll be featuring my pair of pipes from the Big Ben Jade Collection. Today's pipe, a bent brandy, is the older of the two and unfortunately a little worse for wear, as much of the actual Jade coloring is wearing away in patches. A while back I got an estimate to have it professionally refinished, and while mulling the idea over as to whether or not it was worth the money, my wife pointed out a beautiful Big Ben Jade in the latest P&C catalog for approximately the same price as the cost of refinishing the old one. So in the end I opted to buy a new Jade pipe, and either leave the other pipe to eventually transition to the natural wood grain that was showing through ... or buy some leather dye and try my hand at bringing it back to the original Jade color. So if and when that day comes I'll post the finished results. But until then I'll simply continue to smoke and enjoy the uniqueness of my Big Ben Bent Brandy Patchy Jade.
Today I'll be featuring the second pipe from my Big Ben Jade Collection. The pipe is a Jade #931 bent pot, and due to it's convenient size it has becme my 'go to' travel pipe whenever I leave the house. I automatically reach for it without a second thought. The pipe and tobacco pouch fit easily into a top shirt pocket without deforming the shirt with an unsightly bulge. And although the compact dimensions of both the Baraccini Pocket Pipe and Big Ben Jade #931 are very similar, the Big Ben looks and feels more substantial whereas the Baraccini Pocket Pipe has the scaled down appearance of a novelty pipe. The B.B. Jade has an over-all length of 5.5", bowl height of 1.7", bowl depth 1.2", bowl inside diameter 0.7", outside diameter 1.5", and the weight is 1.60 oz. In slight comparison the length of the Baraccini Pocket Pipe is 4.8", bowl height 1.3", inside diameter is exactly the same as the Big Ben Jade at 0.7", outside diameter is 1.3", the bowl depth is 1.1", but the weight variance is considerable, with the Pocket Pipe only registering 0.90 oz. From my experience, a difference of a five or ten minute smoke with the Pocket Pipe or a 15 or 20 minute smoke with the Big Ben Jade.
Unlike my older bent brandy featured yesterday with the black stem, the new line of Big Ben Jade pipes comes with a beautifully swirled green Acrylic stem. And as is the case with most Big Ben pipes it takes a 9mm filter - but smokes just as good or better without one.
Today's pipe is a very treasured Estate pipe I picked up a while back for a mere $5.00 at a local antique store. The pipe is a Tracy Mincer Custom-Bilt manufactured between 1938 and 1946. It was in pretty bad shape when I bought it, with a cake so thick in the bowl it would have been impossible to smoke 'as is'. What area there was left for packing your tobacco could scarcely accommodate a pencil. And the rim was so badly charred it spilled over the side as well. The over-all appearance was that of a charcoal briquette. But the name inscribed on the pipe was clearly visible - a pedigree worthy of rescuing. I accepted the challenge and lovingly restored it with nothing but hand tools, elbow grease, and literally spit and polish. And I'm quite satisfied with the end results.
The Mincer Custom-Bilt (with the hyphen) is a nice sized tactile chunk of wood that feels great in the hand, and smokes like a champ. I'm now 67 years old, and this pipe is one of the few things I own that's older than me yet still functions as intended. Imagine the historic events that have transpired during the life of this pipe, as well as the life or lives of the previous owners. And I can't help but wonder how many hands this pipe will pass through after I cease to exist? I'd like to think it would live on providing decades of enjoyment to future generations of pipe smokers.
Since 1943 American pipe maker Dr. Grabow has been manufacturing affordable pipes out of their Sparta, North Carolina plant. And in that 70+ year span it's probably safe to say nearly every American pipe smoker has at one time or another had a Dr. Grabow in their collection. For many it was our first briar pipe. And because of it's inexpensive price and durability, the Dr. Grabow has been my pipe of preference as an everyday work pipe. This particular pipe 'The Starfire', is one of the larger Dr. Grabows in my collection. And before my eventual retirement this pipe was one of my work pipes, enduring years of harsh environments and unintended abuse - yet somehow emerged relatively unscathed. And with the exception of a bit of excess tooth chatter - which is why it now sports a 'softy bit' to prevent further damage - this pipe looks as great today as it did the day I bought it.
It's been said you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. But when that egg happens to be a Dragon's Egg, make sure Mamma is no where to be seen, otherwise the only thing cracking will be the sound of your bones as she makes a meal of you.
Today I broke my own rule by showcasing more than one pipe per photo shoot. But in this political climate where rules were meant to be broken I thought I'd over-rule myself and feature the remainder of my older Dr. Grabow work pipes in one session. The three pipes are the Golden Duke Textured, and a pair from the Sliver Duke series - one smooth the other textured. All three are excellent smoking pipes that I've had for well over 30 years ... and not one of them will unscrew from the body of the pipe. Oh sure ... they'll twist alright - but none of the stems will completely unscrew and separate as intended. So rather than turn and twist them creating more of a problem, I leave them 'as is'. Thankfully I removed the stingers from the stem well before they decided to seize up on me, and all were drilled perfectly so my pipe cleaner reaches the bowl unencumbered. So with a dab of Decatur Briar-Fresh Airway Cleaner on a pipe cleaner I'm able to keep the pipes clean and sanitized. And my motto is "never throw a pipe away as long as it still smokes".
For as far back as I can remember I've had a fascination with hot air balloons. And the movie that brought it to the forefront and captured my imagination was the 1961 adaptation of Jules Verne's "Mysterious Island". The harrowing hot air balloon escape from the Confederate prison, coupled with that rousing film score from Bernard Herrmann will be forever etched in my memory. To this day that movie remains on my list of Top Ten Movies. Hot air balloons have been featured in a number of motion pictures over the years including another pair from Verne, "Around The World In 80 Days" and "Five Weeks In A Balloon"; two Frank Baum adaptations of his "Oz" series of children's books, "The Wizard Of Oz" and the more recent "Oz The Great And Powerful; as well as a host of others: "Flight Of The Lost Balloon", "The Mummy Returns", "Rat Race", "Night Crossing", "Up", "Enduring Love", "Stardust", "Kind Hearts And Coronets", and "The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen" to name a few.
The day my wife and I walked into a little curio shop and happened upon this quaint hot air balloon dangling from the ceiling we knew there had to be a suitable place in our home to properly display it. And it was just as apparent that at some point in time the balloon and it's occupants would play a role in my series of photo shoots.
The pipe is no-name Bent Rhodesian I dug out of a basket at The Tinder Box many years ago for a couple of bucks, and it has provided me with decades of smoking enjoyment.
I'm lovin the briar. Looks close enough to a Bent Bulldog for me !
In 1979 the artistic vision of director Ridley Scott elevated the now classic science-fiction horror thriller "ALIEN" from it's 50s' 'B' sci-fi roots to a classy masterpiece of the macabre. His directorial style coupled with unique state-of-the-art visual effects helped create a franchise that continues today. But taking nothing away from the talented Ridley Scott, the very heart and soul of the original movie owes more to the twisted vision of conceptual Swiss artist H.R. Giger, who not only designed the biomechanical title creature, but incorporated the same comingling of organic elements and industrial gadgetry in the hostile planet landscapes as well as the interior of the derelict alien ship. Giger's influence oozes on every frame of film. The fruits of his labor paid off as the movie won an Academy Award for Special Effects. His Hell spawn and sometimes pornographic imagery leaps from the pages of his illustrated books Necronomicon and Necronomicon II, showcasing this unique genius. Giger passed away on May 12, 2014.
The moment I laid eyes on this H.S. Studio pipe the interior walls of the derelict alien ship immediately came to mind. And I knew I had to have it in my collection. After three separate attempts on EBAY I was finally able to procure the pipe and have cherished it ever since. And as you might imagine I've christened it my 'H.R. Giger Pipe'. Today's photo shoot places the pipe in it's normal environment among the illustrations of Giger and an ALIEN horde.
Today's Daily Briar Photoshoot features the second of my four Meerschaum pipes, and probably the nicest in terms of detail and craftsmanship. Not quite sure who this gentleman is suppose to be - but he looks like one of the Three Musketeers. Like most Meerschaums in general they all tend to be cool smoking pipes. And the artwork can vary from crudely carved faces to intricate and highly detailed works of art.