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News for Monday, February 8th |
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There is much to be said for items that add comfort and familiarity to a gentleman's life. An old, beloved trench coat that has served as a pillow during all-too-many flight delays. A pair of well worn, but perfectly maintained shoes, of such extraordinary comfort that they will see many a resole, but never a dust bin. Your favorite cognac, single malt, or fine bourbon during times of quiet celebration. Indeed, while the huge things of life tower or terrify for their moments, it's the proper combination of so called "little things," from which we derive our ultimate, long term contentment. For over a century, gentlemen have turned to one London firm for that closest and most comfortable of companions, the noble briar. This evening, we have the pleasure of introducing 18 new briars from this most singular of pipe companies, and the breadth of selection is as sweeping as each smoking instrument is meticulous in its individual construction. Sometimes a pipe is more than a pipe...it's a Dunhill.
For the past few months (or so) we have talked about Radice's decision to cease production of their oil-cured, twin-bore bit briars, as well as our determination to acquire as many of these zenith Radice briars as we could, and sell them at market price-parity with the non oil-cured, single bore bit versions. Recently, we've also mentioned that our reserves have been dwindling. If there is a bright spot, Sykes will no longer require that I wear a sandwich board that reads "The End is Nigh!", and ring a bell in front of our brick and mortar for 90 minutes a day, but the half-dozen Radices that have gone up tonight have taken our reserves to zero. That which you now see in the category is the totality of the smokingpipes.com Radice inventory. We are big fans of Radice pipes; we have carried Radice pipes for almost ten years. Given that, we will explore possible solutions with this great Cucciago firm. But for now, perhaps forever, when the total of 17 (as of this writing) zenith Radices that are on this site are gone, they're gone. If you have never tried one, obviously now is the time. If you own one or more, you already know why your collection will benefit from another.
"72 Peterson pipes on the wall, 72 lovelies from Pete. If those pipes should happen to sell, another six dozen go up, what the hell?" Man, while Peterson of Dublin has been our best selling marque for ages, led by the 2010 St. Patrick's Day Pipe, sales have rocketed through the proverbial roof lately! In order to boost availability and selection, not three, not four, but SIX dozen fresh pipes from the Emerald Isle just went up, and the breadth of this update is breathtaking. Naturally, we have added another fine batch of the 2010 St. Patrick's Day pipes, as well as the $46 Kapets. From the time honored standards, such as the Aran, the Donegal Rocky, the Irish Made Army, the Calabash and Barrel pipes, to special editions, such as the Castle Series and the Darwin (both System and Premiere), your favorite tobacconist has you covered like a zone defense made up of five Dwight Howards (and THAT'S covered!). Have at 'em, lads!
Headlining tonight's Savinelli update of two dozen are the fabulous Erica Fiammas, a series name that translates into "Briar Flame." Limited both in production and in the number of shapes available, I hold that the Erica Fiamma consistently displays the finest grain of any machine made pipe that I have seen under $300, and yet it runs less than $110! The Standing is here, a dozen in fact. These classically shaped briars, available both in the standard and King Size, all sit with an admirable stability and come in at the unbelievable $45 price point. Add a half dozen of the handsome, dual tone/textured Saturnia briars, and this becomes one Savinelli update well worth checking out.
Tonight we have additions for the Cigar Aficionado! No, actually I meant the enthusiast, not the magazine. The legendary marques of Rocky Patel, La Aroma de Cuba, and Arturo Fuente are receiving one, three, and three new selections, respectively. "The Rock" presents the 1961 Robusto, a celebration of the year of Mr. Patel's birth. These Ecuadorian wrapped, Honduran binder and Nicaraguan-filled beauties are available in both box and non-box quantities, and are as limited in production as they are impressive...from presentation, to that last delicious inch. La Aroma de Cuba selection now includes the Robusto, the Immensa, and the Churchill. Available in box and non-box quantities, this already popular and acclaimed line "kicks it up a notch," by having Don Pepin lend a hand in blending a new and improved cigar which is draped in a chocolate brown wrapper rich in spicy Nicaraguan flavor. Finally, Arturo Fuente has had three new (to us) cigars added to our click-in humidor; The Chateau King T, the Chateau Queen B, and the always impressive Pyramids. Fuente has long been the source for some of the most consistent and excellent cigars on the planet, and these three selections can only add to their already immaculate reputation.
For the past few months (or so) we have talked about Radice's decision to cease production of their oil-cured, twin-bore bit briars, as well as our determination to acquire as many of these zenith Radice briars as we could, and sell them at market price-parity with the non oil-cured, single bore bit versions. Recently, we've also mentioned that our reserves have been dwindling. If there is a bright spot, Sykes will no longer require that I wear a sandwich board that reads "The End is Nigh!", and ring a bell in front of our brick and mortar for 90 minutes a day, but the half-dozen Radices that have gone up tonight have taken our reserves to zero. That which you now see in the category is the totality of the smokingpipes.com Radice inventory. We are big fans of Radice pipes; we have carried Radice pipes for almost ten years. Given that, we will explore possible solutions with this great Cucciago firm. But for now, perhaps forever, when the total of 17 (as of this writing) zenith Radices that are on this site are gone, they're gone. If you have never tried one, obviously now is the time. If you own one or more, you already know why your collection will benefit from another.
News for Monday, February 8th, 2010 written by Bear Graves.
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News for Thursday, February 4th
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"Ikebana", in the most literal translation, means "arranged flowers". But, just as most active students of the Tea ceremony (Chanoyou) prefer to call what they do as "chado" (the way of tea), most ardent practitioners of formal arrangements refer to their art as "Kado" (The Way of Flowers). To my mind, this second term contains subtle nuances that come closer to the spirit of the crown jewels of Tsuge; the Ikebana briar. Kado is a disciplined art form/mindset that utilizes creative expression, within certain rules of construction, with the aspiration that the final presentation will be perceived as a point where nature and humanity are brought together. I believe this "way" shines through within the crown jewels of Tsuge. Our first Ikebana of the evening is a sandblasted Nihon interpretation of the bent brandy. Graded a B, the low, graceful profile, katachi-inspired oval shank, and push style bit, announce the land of its birth, and the peerless grain might well find you holding your breath. A Grade C horn follows, and one that does not follow either of the usual Ikebana approaches to the form, but elects "the middle way" in composition. While taking a center path in shape, there is nothing "middle" about the striking grain. The final presentation, though far from the highest grade (or most expensive) Ikebana that I have encountered, competes as one of my all-time favorites. It is a simple Grade D bent brandy of exquisite grain, and the form is the very embodiment of the Ikebana approach of offering a composition that appears rather Danish on the surface, and yet the totality speaks of Japan. This one is so perfect, I half-expected the carver to create a tiny, intentional flaw at the heel, much as a Raku-master would when he makes a perfect tea bowl (for "perfect" flies in the face of nature).
While Ardor is a long (long) established company, the firm (as we know them today) really started to get underway in the late 90's. The great leap forward (not the Chairman Mao kind) occurred when the superior briar working techniques of Dorelio became fused with the one-of-a-kind futuristic shapes of his son, Damiano. Their work would forever add another dimension to handmade Italian pipes. They are not Pesaro and not really Northern Italian school, they are "Ardor". We have nine pipes from the Rovera Father and Son team, each pipe is made from briar that has been carefully seasoned for a minimum of a decade in their curing room, fitted with an acrylic bit that is unlike anything in the industry, and guaranteed to contain not a speck of putty filler. All of your favorite finishes are here; Urano, Alveare, Meteora, a Goccia, and both the shapes and sizes boast a marvelous breadth. Chuck Stanion, of the prestigious Pipes and Tobacco Magazine, wrote of Ardor; "Four generations of the Rovera family have dedicated themselves to the making of pipes. Millions of hours of experience, together with a deeply emotional commitment to the craft, have combined to bring the world a line of pipes like no other." We agree, that's why there are more Ardors in the staff's personal collection than any other make!
With tonight's Ser Jacopo update, Giancarlo Guidi takes it to the Max! Another fresh dozen smoking instruments, lovingly handcrafted by the very founder of the Pesaro School, are available for your evaluation, and five of them range from a "Maxima" grade, to a "Maxima, Maxima, Maxima, Maxima"! Take a read of the Rowlettes, peruse the Pictas and Pipaccias, and shop the smooths. Giancarlo really outdid himself with this batch, and his "usual" is usually head and shoulders above most of his competition.
Though not one to toot my own horn... Oh, who am I kidding? I took credit for building that new deck of yours, and I haven't even been in your state. OK, in furtherance of my shameless self promotion, I have been predicting that the churchwarden would see an unprecedented revival for a year or so. Guess what shape has become both our fastest mover, as well as the most difficult to keep on site? Yup! I just looked at an available inventory of thousands of pipes, and at the time of this writing, we have 2 briar churchwardens on the site. In addition to some Stanwell HCAs going up tonight, roughly a third of this evening's Johs presentation of 18 are his churchwardens. A double-plus, extra-double-good thing, for Johs makes our customer's favorite wardens! Also on hand, Mogens has provided us with freehand sitters, brandies, bulldogs, and billiards. Prices start at just $68, and top out at an Everestian $88. I would suggest at least a quick look. Seriously.
For years, the Tsuge smooth and sandblasted Triangle pipes and Natural briars sold, and sold well, at suggested retail prices of $250, $200, and $95, respectively. Almost every pipe company will eventually do an equivalent of "The Changing of the Guard", and cease production of certain series, allowing for the birth of others. The confluence of Tsuge's decision to cycle series, trusted relationships, Sykes being immediately on the scene, and a good, old fashioned offer to purchase in high volume, resulted in our ability to offer you these highly regarded smoking instruments for $85, $70, and $45. I have been involved at varying levels in pipe and tobacco retail since the late 70's, and I have never seen a presentation that approached the value of this Tsuge offering. These pipes are "firsts", and feature all of the quality that you would expect from the universally well regarded firm of Tsuge of Tokyo. We are nearing the end of this fastastic supply, so don't wait on these specatacular bargains.
The pipe aficionado who favors a Danish pipe with a great degree of individual character, but prefers to not have his next briar purchase replace a highly anticipated, 60 inch flat screen within his discretionary budget, will always have a home with Neerup pipes. The evening's presentation from Peder Jeppesen, is the embodiment of the phrase "classic selection" (that's because the two lines that we have tonight hail from the Classic and Selection lines). Many of our customers swear by the Neerup pipe, perhaps we can add you to the list of devotees?
A thousand years ago if you saw 110 Danes in one place, you could pretty much count on losing your livestock and the local church's valuables as your village scattered inland fleeing that particular terror from the north... Thankfully, in this day and age, if you see over one hundred Danes in one place your reaction is much more likely to be "What a selection!" and usually don't have to hide in nearby caves. We have added another 18 Stanwells to our inventory to bring our total offered (at the time of this writing) to one hundred and ten handsome Danish briars. The newer Revivals, the Nanna Ivarsson Design Pipe, and the Hans Christian Andersen are joined by Featherweights, Majestics, and Colonials. Stroll on by and take a gander. There's a fine chance that your next pipe is but a few clicks away.
Another "Sizzling Six Dozen" estate pipes, crafted by famous marques from around the world, have just been uploaded, and with prices that range from $35 to "maybe one day", there's bound to be the perfect pipe awaiting. Tonight, we have a somewhat rare, three-way tie for the numerical board leader position; Denmark, England, and Italy, each finishing with 14 pipes. The Danes are represented by Emil Chonowitsch, Nording, Tonni Nielsen, Brakner, Stanwell, and they even have TWO unsmoked Peter Heeschen S Grades! England gets its game on with a phalanx of fine Dunhills (including a stunning, Group 5 Ring Grain), Lane era Charatans, Barlings, Ferndown, Sasienis and a Tilshead canadian. Italy "shows 'em how it's done", opening with an unsmoked Ardor Mercurio Giant bent egg, a Becker Collection Royal Flush, a Mastro de Paja Ciocco Gigante Fiammata, and an unsmoked Castello "Castello" Grade shape 93 bent egg. These lovelies are quickly followed by pipes from Ascorti, Ser Jacopo, Don Carlos, and Viprati. Team America enters the stadium with pipes from Lee von Erck, an unsmoked Tom Cook, and an unsmoked Tim West. Don't miss the vintage Kaywoodies, the Bill Shalosky horn, or the amazing, unsmoked Mariner Freehand! Ireland has an unusually large presentation of eight pipes, including a 100th Anniversary, two-pipe set and presentation rack, a Supreme with gold, and a Supreme with sterling. If you are looking for an estate meerschaum, our Miscellaneous estate department is looking good.
News for Thursday, February 4th, 2010 written by Bear Graves.
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