Lessons from a Park Bench

It was a beautiful Sunday morning here – as bright and crisp as anyone could wish for on a December morning. I decided to don my sheepskin coat, wool scarf, and fedora to take a walk in the park across the street. I took my small two-pipe and pouch carrier in my pocket, hoping to find a bench in the sun where I could sit down and enjoy a pipe.

There is a bench not far beyond the Arlington Boulevard overpass overlooking a creek there. I had my sights on sitting there as I figured I’d get plenty of sun since it’s out in the open and away from the trees.

As the bench came into view, my heart sank. Someone was sitting there already. I avoid smoking around anyone else, mainly because I hate the predictable dirty looks or lecturing that may come my way when I do.

As I walked closer up the path imagine my surprise when I discovered that the person perched on the bench was smoking a pipe! I couldn’t believe it. This never happens to me.

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The sad decline of pipe tobacco merchandising.

I love old tin art. I’ve concluded lately that the older a tin is, the more likely I am to like its art. Maybe it’s some nostalgic yearning for better times, or maybe it’s that I appreciate that pipe tobacco manufacturers and blenders of old took obvious pride in how their blends were packaged and presented. It shows up in those grand old tins and logos.

Why is it, as time passes, that tin art worsens and worsens? Take for example the minimalistically elegant tin designs of Marcovitch? To me, the cutter top was a better tin design than its later coin-twist version. Still, we wouldn’t see this kind of brand consistency across decades now, let alone the maintenance of production values.

The imaginative and winning Baby’s Bottom tin.For those who would reflexively tell me how expensive packaging is and how it is a waste, I would love to have that debate. The cost of packaging in the good old days was cosiderably higher proportionately than it is now. Nope. I don’t agree.

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'Twas the Pipe Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, I sat with my pipe,
The hearth log was burning, I had not a gripe.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
My sweet wife was sleeping, yet I was awake,
I pondered my plan as I rubbed out a flake.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
With his pipe clenched alit, it must be St Nick.
I’d hoped while I sat of inviting him in,
For a bowl, and a chat, and a wee splash of gin!

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The 2012 Piper's Dozen

Well, after a year’s hiatus, the Piper’s Dozen is back. This is unquestionably the most difficult post I write during the year. There are so many deserving people and products I consider for each category so I agonize interminably over who and what should be highlighted here.

Then, there was the consideration that the world was supposed to end last Friday according to the Mayans. Why would we give so much credence to a people whose entire population summarily vanished long before their projected day of reckoning? On the off chance that nobody would be around to read this year’s post, I procrastinated on finishing it up. In any event, we’re still here, so here is this year’s Piper’s Dozen:

1. Piper(s) of the Year: Matt and Jon Guss

Borthers Matt (top) and Jon GusIf it weren’t for the brothers Guss, there would’ve been no John Cotton Throwdown, no Balkan Sobranie Throwdown, nor the tremendous enthusiasm generated from  artisanal recreations of famous historic tobacco blends. This hobby has long been focused on pipes and pipe collecting With these new tobacco events, we see excitement created around tobaccos that is every bit the equal of pipes. When one considers  the class and organization of these two Throwdown events that took place at the Chicago show over the last two years, one cannot help but be impressed.

Additionally, Matt Guss is one of the most effective pipe club leaders  and advocates on the American scene. The Seattle Pipe Club’s healthy membership, its extraordinarily fun annual January dinner event, and its sponsorship of events like the Throwdowns are evidence of Matt’s commitment to the role of pipe clubs in advancing the vitality of the hobby.

Jon Guss’ pipes and tobaccos scholarship emerged from considerable research skills that were honed during his days working for one of the major management consulting firms. Today, Jon can be found poring over tax and public record archives in Edinborough or London. His methodological rigor has given pipe and tobacco enthusiasts new insights and plenty of debunked myths, not to mention entertaining reads.

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New Vintages Project Publications

Pipe scholars Ben Rapaport and Jon Guss have been hard at work creating new publications for the Vintages project. There are not one, but two new articles ready for your study and enjoyment.

For meerschaum fans, Ben’s article includes a redacted transcription of a rare oral history recalling noted meerschaum carver Gustav Fischer and his son.  The interview was conducted with Gustav Senior’s daughter-in-law, Anna, a few years before her death.

Jon’s article explores strategies and common errors in dating 19th Century pipes and tobaccos. It’s a thoughtful and clear presentation on how to apply methodologies used in other disciplines to improve our own accuracy.

These publications are real gifts to our hobby. I hope you enjoy them and treasure them as much as I do.