Been meaning to post pics of what Santa left me, but circumstances have not allowed, so I will attempt to justify my MFA by "painting a picture with words."
Inside the package that greeted me on the porch, swaddled snugly as the eponymous Reason for the Season, was a beautiful billiard pipe. The note acknowledged that a glance at the maker's mark would quickly de-secret my Santa, as he had handcrafted the piece just for me!
Besides being a general testament to good pipecraft, Santa very clearly did his research on my particular leanings for briars. The size and proportions are of the old school English marque style, a straight smooth billiard, medium bowl... it's hard to explain, but I've always found Brit billiards to show most clearly their kinship with the pot shape. This gifted pipe does that beautifully.
The stem is also as I like, with a fishtail worthy of the name, and very comfortable in the jaw, of course. My favorite detail lives in the mouthpiece... a sure sign that the maker knows my love of a bold or flamboyant detail: the stem is blue cumberland. It's both loud and subtle and classy for sure.
I trust you assume at this point that the briar smokes like a charm, and are only awaiting confirmation. Well, it does.
Thanks from the heart to Santa. I have gotten a gift from someone who really gets me. Let the same be said of us, and of all of us, and in the words of Tiny Tim, "Dad, why is your creepy boss here for Christmas dinner?"
