Makers and Artists

In the first part of the interview we discussed some of Alex Florov's background and explored some of the similarities between his works and that of Maigurs Knets. This continuation will discuss Alex's thoughts on other modern pipe makers and hint at his plans for the future. ... Read More

It's about two in the afternoon on a sunny August day on Funen, the second-largest of Danish islands, as I pull up at Peter Heeschen's farmhouse on the outskirts of Odense. I walk from the rented car into the courtyard created by his house and barns, the paved terrace and flower gardens dappled with sunlight filtered through ... Read More

Brad Pohlmann has been a staple in American pipe making since he returned to the craft in 2003. He has a loyal following of collectors and continues to rank high on the "most desirable" lists among the newer generation of pipe smokers and enthusiasts. ... Read More

The creative process, especially in the realm of artisanal pipe design, is by no means a cut and dry formula, and like other mediums, it requires patience, persistence, and an ample amount of decisive problem solving. Learning to solve these problems quickly, and offset their likeliness in the future, is tantamount if one hopes to one day achieve the title of 'master' in their respective field. ... Read More

A world class athlete and Communist defector, Karlheinz Joura's story is one of both artistic and personal freedom. At the age of 19, he fled his native East Germany to the town of Bremen in search of a better life — a life he could make for himself, in the exact way he wanted to make it. ... Read More

When Sykes visited the Radices with Luca di Piazza in 2010, the first things Luigi personally showed off to them (after finishing the work he was in the middle of when they arrived) were not the highest-graded pipes at hand, but those Gigi happened to find the most interesting results of his tinkering ... Read More

Recently our pipe manager, Shane Ireland, sat down with Pete Prevost and Todd Johnson from BriarWorks International to discuss how exactly the team got to where they are today and shed some light on the marque's future. Here's what they had to say. ... Read More

I first met Kent Rasmussen in 2003. At the time, he'd been making pipes for a few years and had developed a highly distinctive, structured style, bringing an architectural eye to the medium. Kent had a background as a trained sculptor and architect and had worked as a sculptor ... Read More

Dedication to quality is the mark of true artisans, even more so than anything that may happen to be stamped, etched, or otherwise inscribed onto their works. So what does it say when an artisan whose quality of work is well-established dedicates a year to shifting his focus and work-flow to a new project? ... Read More

Martelo pipes first hit our site back in March, and so far, we've been really impressed. The fusion of Greek neo-classical, Danish, and Gustavo's own unique style really comes out in each and every piece. Recently, Shane sat down with Gustavo Cunha ... Read More