Honoré de Balzac Sandblasted (1911) Tobacco Pipe

The "1911" by Ropp is a svelte bent Stack, which features a slender, cylindrical bowl that is poised at the fore of a broad transition and gently bent shank. The lightweight and nimble demeanor of the "1911" fits perfectly within Ropp's portfolio of classic shapes, while the thin, tubular shaping offers a departure from the French marque's penchant for supple, fluid contours. Moreover, the combination of the towering bowl's capacious chamber and a willowy Churchwarden stem makes the "1911" ideal for long and comfortable hands-free smoking.

Considered one of the founders of European realism, Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright whose work greatly influenced the likes of Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, and Jack Kerouac. Ropp presents their Honoré de Balzac series, comprised of Churchwarden shapes, as an homage to the writer — quite the apt commemoration, as Churchwardens are considered popular reading pipes. Perfect for smoking while lounged in an armchair, the characteristically long stem ensures that attention remains on the pages before you, requiring little movement to smoke. It's a series marked by classic French shapes, rendered by a classic French marque in honor of a classic French literary figure, with this particular offering presented in a traditional sandblast and accented by the line's flashy nickel accent band.

Note: While most of our other pipes are photographed individually, these are not, and you may expect some reasonable cosmetic variation between the example we've photographed and the pipe you've received.