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My new book on Comoy's Blue Ribands will be released at the Chicago Show in May. This was really a labor of love and a huge amount of work, but I think it was worth it. If you want to learn more about the book and what's included in its contents go here...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CORNELIUS-MANZ-GERMANY-PIPE-UNSMOKED-/380650841412?nma=true&si=%252FdAgEbnfk3hkrxBEDB9EsdQLENM%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I'm going to be showing my Comoy Blue Riband pipe collection at next year's Chicago show. As a part of the exhibition, I'm developing a catalog of the collection, and I need to borrow or buy a Blue Riband pipe box. I was sure I had one but I cannot for the life of me find one. Does anyone have...

John Loring published a compilation of catalogs (not the Dunhill one) that includes a number of Comoy catalogs. I hope to get my hands on one, if only to borrow it for some research. Does anyone here know of one or have one?

I am typically hesitant to post links to A Passion for Pipes blog posts since I know that it gets old really fast. This post is one that I hope you read and act upon. Click here. For those of you who do not reside in the United States, I apologize that this post is America-centric in terms of...

I started my judging process last evening for the Balkan Sobranie Throwdown, a contest between three blenders to recreate the legendary 759. Since the closing event happens at the Chicago show, we have to be finished by May 7th with the judging. If you are interested you can read about the event...

This morning, for the very first time, I received an email from BoB letting me know that I had a private message here. I clicked the link and discovered an inbox FULL of messages I never realized I had. To all those who may have written me, only to feel that I blew them off by not responding, I...

I've been working on taking photos of pipes I've collected by individual artisans. I've found these photos the hardest I've ever tried to take. It's not unusual for my set-up time to be around 90 minutes and post-production about another two hours. Anyway, here are two photos of two artisan...

For reasons that I assume are related to Apple’s changes from Dot Mac to Mobile Me, I cannot update my blog without receiving error messages from Apple. I can make posts but critical features and information are absent, like someone's ability to make comments. That’s why you don’t see the “Add...

I wanted to let you all know that there are some VERY cool photo entries in the Photo Contest on my Web Site. There are now 25 different entries and they're all really fun to look at and enjoy. Some of the BoB membership have entered with really nice images. I'm just really enjoyed seeing...

Greg Pease calls 'em "bruccianosos." I call 'em "nosewarmers." But no matter what you call 'em, I really do love these little pipes. They say we're attracted to people and things that look like us. So I suppose it's no wonder that I like compact and chubby pipes. They may not be long, lean...

I am a great fan of Rad Davis. When people complain about the price of North American Carvers, among a couple of other carvers who offer tremendous value, I always think about Rad's work and how wonderful it is. You don't have to dent your credit score to acquire fabulous pipes. Here are a...

While I was in Chicago I was able to add three of Adam Davidson's pipes to my collection. Adam is one of my favorite younger artisans and you'll see why when you take a gander at his work picture below. The first piece is a black-bamboo shanked apple that weighs in at a negligible 17 grams. I...

I've begun photographing the pipes I picked up in Chicago. These three pieces were pre-ordered and picked up in Chicago. I'm quite happy with them. This is quite a different approach to pipe photography I'm working with right now. I thought I'd try a strategy where the background disappears and...

(I wrote the following as today's post on my blog, but recognizing that many people don't read it, I thought I'd post it on the boards where I am a member. This message is important to me and I hope to you as well. Forgive it's length. I tried to edit it, but I tend to be long-winded...

For those who are interested, I've just posted a profile about and interview with Jeff Gracik on my blog, A Passion for Pipes. There are a lot of photos there of Jeff's work that have previously not been available. Jeff is a fascinating artisan and a lovely person; I hope you enjoy it. Click...

I have several tobacco pouches that do a poor job of keeping my tobacco from drying out too much and I've been trying to think about how I deal with that. I've got several small hydrators that I've used for transporting cigars that I've thought about using but haven't found them particularly...

Since I met John Crosby last May in Chicago I've been a fan of his pipes. Until recently, I've only owned one pipe. I recently acquired another. This pipe sports a detailed and well-defined curtain sandblast. The sandblasted bowl finish contrasts with a smooth birdseye-packed plateau and smooth...

This is a pipe I acquired from John Crosby. This smooth reveals densely packed and very even birdseye on the bottom of the shank. Ruler-even straight grain evenly segments the shank from bowl to stem; it is an exquisite piece of briar. The bowl to shank proportions of this pipe took me some...

Hey guys. For anyone who might be interested, I wrote a blog post this morning in tips and techniques for photographing pipes. I hope you enjoy it and that it's helpful. Blog Post Link