Ended up in an antique shop yesterday (last time I drove by there, it was a corner sandwich shop) and thought, what the heck, might as well take a look.
They turned out to have three pipes, which surprised me. Two meerschaums and one briar. Both of the meers were carved what gets called "Sultan," and they were pretty good sized (the bowls were at least twice the height of the small Sultan meer sitting right in front of me). Both asking price of $45. Neither chamber showing any signs of having been smoked. The slightly larger one, while it had its middle stem piece, was missing the end section that carries the mouthpiece.
But instead of a meer, I brought home the briar, for $10. It's a bit of local culture, I suppose. The left of the shank is stamped "L.L. Bean" over "FREEPORT, ME" (just down a couple of roads to the coast from here) and the right side has the often-seen "Imported Briar" stamp. As well as the orange -um- not exactly a diamond shaped insert on the stem.
Being the curious sort, I did a search on eB to see what they're going for there. Found this item (pix above) L.L. Bean Freeport, Me Imported Cross Grains Briar Pipe Pot 80’s Vulcanite Stem. Mine looks pretty much just like the eB pipe and it has 2 fills on the left where the bowl curves into the shank. At 8-1/2 hours (roughly) left to the auction, it's up to $68 with 16 bids.
I guess that makes me happy on two counts!
[9/16, edit to add:] Taking this pipe apart to sanitize, and looking at its weird stinger (pipe-cleaner filter ?????) I'm not entirely sure that this pipe was ever smoked!!! At most once or twice, from the speckling on the metal stinger.
@AnantaAndroscoggin, nice find, I have a few pot designs that smoke well! Freeport is a bit too comercial,but the last time I was in that neck of the woods the wife and I went to Lands End. The name is accurate keep driving and you get to swim back to shore!
@mfresa I pondered raccoon too, but no mask and a weird shaped head and funky ears lead me to possum. Just so you know, possums are creepy. Although I have never seen a possum in real life.
Comments
Looks more Rottweiler to me.
[9/16, edit to add:] Taking this pipe apart to sanitize, and looking at its weird stinger (pipe-cleaner filter ?????) I'm not entirely sure that this pipe was ever smoked!!! At most once or twice, from the speckling on the metal stinger.
Check out http://pipephil.eu/logos/en/logo-l1.html#llbean
Seriously, beautifully made pipe...
I though it looked like an Ent when I saw it too.
https://www.alpascia.com/en/prodotto/46915/dunhill-jfk-commemorative-ambe
HaCha!
Kinda looks like a “possum”?
I pondered raccoon too, but no mask and a weird shaped head and funky ears lead me to possum. Just so you know, possums are creepy. Although I have never seen a possum in real life.
P.S. I like animals too, I just couldn’t restrain myself.