I found my Grandfather's pipes!

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Mr. Doody

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My mother's father used to smoke a pipe all the time. He passed in 1976 when I was about 10 years old. I remember following him around the house and yard when he was doing chores, and he always had a pipe in his mouth. Long after he passed, I asked my grandmother if she still had his old pipes, and whether I could have them. At the time, I did not smoke a pipe, but I was smoking cigars, and none of the rest of us grandkids did any sort of smoking. Up until her passing, both of us assumed the pipes got lost or tossed when she moved out of her house into an apartment as she entered her 80s. My grandmother passed about two years ago and when we were cleaning up her estate we found nothing re: my grandfather's pipes.

However, I have begun cleaning out my house of 15 years to get it ready for sale. Yesterday I was cleaning out remote corners, and, lo and behold, inside a tightly-closed paper bag that was inside a large, clear ziploc bag, I found these:

gumpy10.jpg


These pipes haven't been touched for nearly 40 years. I doubt there's anything of value in here, as my grandfather was a man of modest means, but they have an incredible sentimental value to me, especially as I too am now a pipe smoker. As best I've been able to gather, he smoked Captain Black white from when he was in the Navy in WWII until he died. He didn't collect pipes like us doofuses - he just smoked 'em for the pleasure of it.

There's a Peterson silver-band p-tip that I will clean-up and smoke, but the others I'll likely just clean up and save (the meer has been patched, the Grabow has a metal tube, etc.). I was SO giddy to find these!! At some point my grandmother probably dropped the bag by my house while watching the kids or something; leaving the bag on the dining table or kitchen counter; and my (now ex) wife just put them in a dining room cabinet to remain cloistered for a dozen - or maybe more - years.

WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy,
Doody!
 
What an awesome find. A real keepsake. Enjoy the memories while working and smoking them Brother, :cheers: :cheers: It's unreal how things like that can bring back memories for years to come. I have my grandmothers old enamel bowl we used to make headcheese together with and 20 years later I still think of her every time I move or use that bowl.
I also have my other grandmothers (mothers side) pot that she used to boil eggs for me when ever I helped them clean the chicken coup. Used to get told "nobody eats for free" Like your pipes (even more so) the bowl & pot arn't worth anthing but both are priceless to me.
 
That is fantastic Doody, I personally would clean them up and put them all into my rotation, just think of the connection you will feel with your Grandfather every time you fill and smoke one, such a wonderful thought. I was absolutely devastated when my Da' passed and discovered his second wife destroyed everything he owned including his pipes of course. He also had little money but his pipes were all Peterson's, no high grades of course but I would have dearly loved to give them a loving new home, to be able to hold one whilst smoking it and thinking fondly on me Da', you're a most fortunate man and I am well pleased for you. :sunny:
 
Congrats on the fantastic find ... What a heirloom ... Clean em and enjoy em

James
 
Howdy, Doody.

Glad to see you're still alive, and apparently discovering cool stuff. :D

8)
 
jogilli":6gv567qv said:
Congrats on the fantastic find ... What a heirloom ... Clean em and enjoy em

James
Clean 'em and smoke them if you can. I still smoke one of my Dad's, have one on display, and have another two squrreled away someplace. I will smoke 'em whenever they surface
 
I'd say no matter how frugal Grandpa was he had good taste in pipes and took care of them.
They all look to be fine examples and should clean up real well. Certainly something to cherish and keep.

 
Mr D, that is tremendous news. What I wouldn't give for one of my Pa's pipes. He was my grandfather on my mum's side, a lovely chap who I still miss dearly. Like you I have very fond memories of being around him when he was smoking a pipe. I believe that although that was over 25 years ago, he played a huge part in me taking up the briar as a previous non smoker last year. He was a skilful chap; a stone mason, artist and stain glass window artisan. We used to build and fly model gliders on Dartmoor together. They truly were halcyon days. As an aside, he replaced much of the glass in Exeter's Cathedral (my home town in Devonshire) which was damaged by bombing during WWII. I'd heard stories that he'd left a 'hidden message' in one of the stain glass windows that he'd replaced but no one in my family had been able to track it down (very Dan Brown, I know). Well, last year whilst on a family holiday to the southwest, armed with a pair of binoculars I set about searching like I had done many times before. Only this time I found it. Crafty old sod had written his name and those of his 4 children (my mum and her brothers and sister) in a scroll being carried by a religious dignitary. His family also has strong links with the early settlers in Boston. But that's another story...
Thanks for evoking the memories Mr D. Superb.
 
What an awesome thing to find, and what a great connection to your past, enjoy them!
 
Fantastic find! Congrats Doody. My father smoked a pipe a long time ago. Unfortunately my mom threw them away. Enjoy!
 
How very special for you Doody. What a wonderful link to your family history, and you'll be able to re-connect with your late Grandpap whenever you smoke or hold them.

I frequently lament not being able to have my late Pap's pipes. He had about a dozen, none of them expensive (think he once mentioned Kaywoodies and such), and one I gave him back in the 80's.

His second wife threw them all out as he had given up the pipe in later years. He told me that she said "they stunk" and out they went. Never even had a chance to ask for them. But that was also long before I took up the pipe.

I remember one in particular - it was a chunky 4-panel bowl, very thick walls, almost square in appearance. I actually spirited it away during my teen years to smoke dried banana peels since I heard some myth about them getting one high (it didn't)!

:bom:



Cheers,

RR
 
thanks everyone!

that's a FANTASTIC story, stick - great stuff! kudos to your grandpa.

i'm hoping to have some time to duck away from work betwen christmas and new years to clean them up. fingers crossed.

doody!
 
Awesome find, and I'm sure you'll enjoy cleaning them up and smoking them.
 
Congrats on the find!! I have one of my grandpa's old pipes and it smokes great for a basket pipe. No markings to be seen but it holds more value to me personally than any pipe I've bought. Smoke them in good health and remembrance.
 
Excellent find Doody! I have a Zippo lighter belonged to my granddad on my dad's side. I don't use it, but I keep it with my pipe stuff and every time I see it, I am reminded of him.
 
Ahhh!! This is a beautiful "story" :D

I like them all but the cob and Peterson are very special....SMOKE THEM !!
 
Simple Man":w0i7ncrm said:
Very cool! I'd give my left nut to have one my grand-dad's pipes.
Thats the problem, left nuts are a dime a dozen these days.. Now a good right nut...
 
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