Misc. Estates: Brigham Carved Rhodsian (pre-2006) (Rock Maple Inserts) Tobacco Pipe

Beginning his career in Toronto as an apprentice under an Austrian pipesmith, Roy Brigham eventually started his own pipe repair shop in 1906. In the early days, Brigham was composed of five craftsmen who earned the workshop a reputation for high-quality artisanship and incredible products. Eventually in 1938, Roy's son, Herb, joined the family business to help grow the company after the Great Depression.

Perhaps Roy Brigham’s most successful and iconic pipe-making innovation was his Rock Maple Inserts, designed to eliminate “tongue bite.” Many times, pipe smokers experience a burning sensation across their tongue while smoking, originally thought to be caused by the heat of the smoke. Brigham theorized that the problem could be solved by filtering the smoke. After trial and error, Roy and Herb discovered that bamboo and rock maple were the best materials to help with filtration, and because of the abundance of rock maple, the duo chose to add this substance into their pipes. Sales climbed exponentially after Brigham started incorporating Rock Maple Inserts into their products and the company hired a full production staff, eventually crafting more than three quarters of Canada’s pipes.

The family business continued after Roy’s grandson, Mike, joined the firm in 1978. Today, Brigham still produces high-quality, traditional pipes in a variety of series like the Voyageur, Mountaineer, Chinook, Tundra, Algonquin, and System lines. The marque is recognized for its distinctive shape chart, robust design style, and the Rock Maple Inserts that took their business to the next level.