Favorite Shape?

Brothers of Briar

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I would have to say my hands down favorite is the Bulldog. Yhis what my grandpa smoked and I just associate pipe smoking with the Bulldog. I do have some other shapes but I alway gravitate to that shape.
 
No poker/cherrywood option? I know that has some devoted fans.

At the end of the day, though, I'm a billiard man.
 
I clicked bulldog, but I like the prince shape almost as well.
 
I voted Billiard because I'm a real sucker for a straight (preferably saddle bit) billiard, and that's represented in the fact that many of the finest pieces I own are billiards. If you want to collect old British briars you're almost obligated to love the noble billiard. As much as I love bulldogs (my second choice here, but a damned close one indeed) I find that I just have to have a fine billiard or variation thereof if I want a representative piece from a British maker in my rack. My best Dunhill, Barling, Sasieni, Ashton and Ferndown (not to mention Stanwell and Castello) pipes are billiard variations. Bulldogs I love and want on my racks too, but not until the perfect straight bill sits there first.

Also a big fan of the Danish egg/scoop, but that's my alter ego coming out :lol:
 
To be sure this is a tough question. Specifically number one in my book, both in appearance and in hand fit and feel has to be my Howell Volkimo. Next would be Castello's #55, a rakish billiard pot affair, and I'd have to include the Bulldog as well.
A noble beast that always seems to please....
 
Danish_Pipe_Guy":1j7m0afc said:
What's your favorite shape?.....
Click to expand...
Overall, my favourite shape is the often forgotten and sometimes reviled Prince, which isn't even on the list. To my eye, its graceful and elegant lines are unmatched by any other, and the shape really suits a tall, narrow guy like me. It's not the shape most broadly represented in my collection, however.

I started out loving classic shapes. Over the past ten years, I found myself chasing Danish neo-classical forms more, but never really got into the more outlandish things that some makers produce. But, I've more recently found myself reverting to the conventional. Billiards, lovats, apples, bulldogs and the derivatives of these are what I seem to reach for most often. There's a reason the classic shapes have been around for so many decades. There's something comfortable in their timelessness. Fad shapes come and go, but billiards are here to stay.

On any particular day, I'd likely choose a different pipe as my fave. It's not that I'm fickle, or anything; I just really like pipes. ;)

-glp
 
I like the entire Canadian family of shapes, Canadians, Lumbermans, Liverpools, and Lovats, I also like Billiards (straight) and Bulldog, Rhodesians and variants.

:pipe:
 
The last several years bent bulldogs and rhodesians have dominated my purchases, but I like apples almost as much.

Jim
 
Author. It's not on the list, so I voted for the Bullmoose. But really, any of those similar shapes. Squat Bulldog, Prince, Zulu.
 
I love the apple shape, primarily because the bowl tends to be thick in the middle, and I have a tendency to smoke hot. I also appreciate the feel of the bowl's subtle curves in the hand
 
For a pretty long time billiard was my favorite shape. I have a nice set of several English billiards that are real smoking machines- simple, well made, great smokers. But for some time now I've been in love with bullmooses. The shape is just wonderful but there is one problem with it- it has to be perfectly carved. I've noticed that there is a lot of variation between the renditions of this shape by different makers and some make my heart rejoice while other leave me indifferent (eg. I really don't like Peterson's 999 shape, which is a pity because they're readily available and have a good value). So it's kinda hard to find one that suits my idea of the shape but when I do I usually fall in love :)
 
I am and always have been a sucker for a classic lovat. I really have a difficult time walking away from a nice one at the B&M
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Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
 
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